Raven and Drew
by WonderChaser
Summary: Police Officer Ysabeau Dennis and Dr. Lauren Lewis met for the first time in 2005. Nothing happened but both felt a connection that either one of them never felt before. After a year, a 911 call set the stage for their unexpected but eventful meetup. Now that they met again, will they act towards each other on their own or do they need the help of their friends?
1. Chapter 1 - Fall 2006

**Author's Note: I am an avid reader of FF stories so if you will see my profile, I have lots of favorite stories and authors especially of Lost Girl. It's obvious that I decided to write a story for Lost Girl because first, I really love the show. Second, I am huge fan of Doccubus so expect this story and my future ones to be about them. Third, I love Anna Silk and Zoie Palmer. Enough said. This story is actually conceptualized because of a crossover idea with another show. I will write that but I realized that I don't want to write a lot of flashbacks so I am writing this one first. This is my first story so be patient with me guys. I've been researching and thinking about my plot since June of this year but I just got the groove to write.**

 **About the Title: I am sure you will ask, who is Raven and Drew? You will eventually find out.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Lost Girl and the characters. I just used them for my story.**

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 **Chapter One**

 **Fall 2006**

 **New Haven Police Department**

 **District 9 East Shore**

 **New Haven, CT**

It is Friday night and the mood inside the police station is in disarray. Some of the policemen are exuberant; some are somber and some are just plain exhausted. But there is a lone police officer, sitting in her desk, not a care in the world and looking at her computer.

She is Police Officer Ysabeau Dennis.

She is looking at an email from her contact in New York. It says,

 **Bo,**

 **I have both good news and bad news.**

 **I'll be there in two weeks. I know you like to hear them in person and then we go from there.**

 **Stephen**

She's been staring at it for over five minutes. Her mind is swirling with different emotions. _What possibly can be the good news?_ It's been 5 years. She should be happy but she can't feel it. All the clues she retrieved all these years lead her nowhere. This can be one of those; another dead end. She replies,

 **Stephen**

 **Okay, I agree. I'll email you the place and time next week.**

 **Bo**

Her partner, Police Officer Hale Santiago, has been looking at her for quite a while. He knows that expression from his partner's face and it can't be good. "Partner, what's up?" He asks and sits at his desk, arms crossed on his chest.

She deletes both emails before turning to her partner. "It's another correspondence from Stephen." Her right hand cradles her chin.

"Correspondence? Big word." He grins.

"I know. I'm doing you a big favor. I'm trying to compensate for your love of small words." She smiles. She loves teasing Hale. "Already done with your reports?"

"Well there you go, I made you smile. I thought you are thinking about her again." He teases. "Yes, all reports are done and sent five minutes ago. And yours?

"I already did an hour ago. Keep up will you?" Bo laughs. "I am more than happy to be thinking about her rather than thinking about the case." She smiles, remembering the woman who occupied her mind for over a year now. But suddenly, her focus switches to the case. "It's been 5 years Hale and I'm losing hope."

"Bo, what can you do? NYPD tagged it as a cold case. Unless a new evidence appears, their hands are tied." Hale whispers consciously.

"I know that. That's why I hired Stephen. He said that he has some good news for me. He'll be here in two weeks." She whispers back.

He looks around to see if they were getting attention from the other policemen. When he's sure that they are not, he asks "You know that I'm just concerned not just as your partner but as your friend, but do you trust Stephen that much? How long have you known each other? And who recommended you to him? What are his credentials?"

Bo drags Hale outside the station. "Sorry Hale, but we need to step outside. I'm not really keen on talking about the case in there." Hale nods. "As far as I know, he's a former NYPD detective. He was recommended by one of my classmates in John Jay College, who is now a police officer in NYPD." Bo explains, then looks down, not meeting Hale's eyes. "And for further investigation of his credentials and other records, I sought Kenzi's help."

"What?! What can Kenzi possibly do? And does Trick know about this?" Hale nearly shouts, not liking what he heard from Bo.

"Please Hale, I was desperate and I needed to know if Stephen can be trusted. And I can't use our resources here in the station so I did what I needed to do and Kenzi agreed." Only Tamsin and Bo knew about Kenzi's hacking skills. The three of them are best friends and truthfully, Bo considers them as her sisters. "And you know that right now, you are the only ones that know about Stephen. My grandfather is not aware that I'm doing this. He doesn't need to know right now. He will not be happy with me if he will know that I did not abandon my investigation of the case as he requested." Her dark brown eyes pleads with her partner's own brown ones.

Hale sighs. He can't possibly deny Bo of anything regarding this case. "Okay, just be careful Bo. And remember, if you need my help I'll be here. And I also want to remind you to delete your inbox and sent mails for Stephen. "

"I already did. Thank you for reminding me," Bo smiles. "And I'm telling you right now, if Stephen won't deliver this time I will temporarily stop his investigation. I think I need to reassess my strategy regarding this case. To be honest with you, aside from thinking about a blonde brown eyed beauty, this case has been occupying my mind these last few months. I know you understand that this is very important to me but I think I need to slow down a bit. It's been a crazy year and we are bugged down with lots of cases. I think I need to concentrate more on the job. I know that he will understand." Bo looks down, trying to hide the tears that are forming in her eyes.

"He will understand you know. It's just a temporary setback. He knows you won't give up." Hale sees the unshed tears. He smiles, knowing that he should change their topic right now. "So have you learned anything new about this blonde brown eyed beauty that you've been dreaming about?"

"Nah, another cold case." Bo laughs, thankful for the change of topic. I know it's crazy. All I had was a 10-minute encounter with her. I don't know her name. Is she working here in New Haven? Is she a local or just a visitor? The most important question I think is, is she single? There are too many questions and I don't have any answer." She laments, frustration etches on her beautiful face.

"And yet after a year and the unanswered questions, you are still thinking about her. Why?" His usual curiosity shows on his face.

"You saw her right? She's beautiful, a sight to behold. And her eyes, those soft brown eyes – they were warm, lively and sparkled with mirth. And her hair, like they were golden threads that were laid upon her shoulders. I can't forget about her Hale. And the connection that we had, I felt that. And I never felt that way before. I think it was love at first sight." Until now, she can't forget how her heart beat when she held the blonde's arms. She and Hale were running after a burglar when he crashed into a cyclist. The suspect stood up and continued running away from the police officers. However, the impact of the crash resulted into the cyclist being thrown into the sidewalk. Bo saw what happened and helped the cyclist. When the cyclist stood and got on the bike, Bo saw that the cyclist was a woman, a beautiful specimen of a woman. She was temporarily distracted. She saw the eyes and was mesmerized and felt her heart stopped when she touched her. The woman thanked her shyly when Bo asked her if she's okay. Her focus on the cyclist was temporarily diverted when Hale shouted for help. The burglar was running very fast and when it looked like Bo and Hale will lose him, an unexpected help came. The cyclist who was crashed by the burglar rammed her bike into him. Bo and Hale caught the suspect, thanks to the blonde woman.

"Huh, you are daydreaming now. I can see it in your eyes Bo." Hale laughs. "You are thinking about what happened a year ago. And what's with the love at first sight? Are you serious?"

"Yeah, I just can't forget how she proudly stood there and smiled and winked at us after we thanked her. Then she just mounted her bike and went away. I just froze and I forgot to ask her name. It happened so fast." Bo remembers how heart ached when she saw the blonde from afar. "And I asked myself when can I see her again? And I'm serious about the love at first sight thing. There's a fascinating study by a researcher named Dr. Stephanie Cacioppo titled Neuroimaging of Love: fMRI Meta-Analysis Evidence toward New Perspective in Sexual Machine. She and her researchers found out that there are twelve areas of your brain that work together to release chemicals and hormones that induce the feeling of falling in love, all of which happens in just a fifth of a second, which elicits floating-on-cloud-nine feelings similar to that of euphoria-inducing drugs. She also said that love carries not only as a basic instinct and emotion, but also a complex psychological emotional mental state which involves four dimensions. Those four dimensions are: chemistry, cognition, preference/rewarding mechanisms, and an intention to be with a significant other. Lust, on the other hand, involves just the first three. So that's the difference between love and lust. When you love someone, there's an intention to be with that someone. Blah, blah, blah. It's a long read actually.

"What?! Complex psychological emotional mental state? Where did you find your reading materials? Nerd." Hale laughs. "But yes, I agree. She was very brave and beautiful. But thankfully, I'm not into blondes."

"Thank God for small favors." Bo winks at her partner. "Well I just googled 'love at first sight' and then there it is."

"Shut the front door! What are you, a love struck teenager? You are googling?" Hale laughs incredulously.

"Hey, don't laugh at me. I am still getting the hang of it and I don't want to bother Kenzi just to google 'love at first sight'. She says defensively, arms crossed in front of her chest.

"Okay, okay I got it. But Bo, here's the thing. What if you see her again, what will you say to her? Have you thought about that?" He asks his partner, turns his back to her and walks towards the door.

Bo thinks about her partner's question while looking at his back. She quietly follows him and while doing that, she thinks of the times when she visualized her next meeting with the blonde. There were few scenarios in her head – in a coffee shop downtown, in the park or in a restaurant. In all honesty, she doesn't know what to say if ever they meet again. So maybe Hale is right, she's a love struck teenager. She will be tongue-tied, that's for sure. Maybe Hale can help with a few ideas.

Her thought process is stalled when the station's officer-in-charge announced, "A 911 call was transferred to us. It's a possible domestic assault. The caller said the suspect may have fled but we need to check. EMT's were already called in. Dennis, Santiago did you already sent your weekly reports?" The partners nodded affirmative. "Respond to the call. The address is 376 Summit Street. The victim's name is Dr. Nadia Woods. The caller is a Dr. Lauren Lewis, the victim's colleague. Go now!"

The partners hurriedly go outside to their car. Bo types the address into the GPS device. "Hale, the place is 5 minutes away. We can do it in 2 if you let me drive." She smiles.

"Oh sure, I'll ride shotgun. But let me do the brunt of catching the asshole okay? You have enough cuts and bruises this year. Hell, I may be the taller one but you really mastered tackling and attacking the suspects." Hale enters and sits on the passenger seat while Bo starts the car. "You always ruining my bad ass reputation."

Bo remembered the 911 call dispatcher was on radio. "Hello 911, this is Police Officer Ysabeau Dennis of NHPD District 9 Station. My partner Police Officer Hale Santiago and I are now going to Dr. Nadia Wood's house in Summit Street to respond to a call by a Dr. Lauren Lewis for a possible domestic assault."

The 911 dispatcher responds. "Got it Officer Dennis. The EMT's are in the standby."

"Okay, I'll radio in again when we are near the house." She turns to her partner. "That's not true Hale. It's just that I run faster than you and if there's a chance that we can catch the suspect right away, I'll do it in a heartbeat." Bo explains. "And besides I'm not counting. We are partners. It doesn't matter who catch those bastards, what's important is until now, we have a near perfect record."

"Well we do but I just can't forget that one bastard that we didn't apprehend. We had him but he slipped away." He frowns, reminiscing about the suspect that got away.

"He jumped from the cliff into the sea. You know that we are not swimmers. I think that's understandable. There will be times that we can't catch a suspect and we need to accept that. So you need to forgive yourself Hale. Okay?" She touches her partner's shoulder.

Hale nods. "Okay. But maybe we need to undergo swimming lessons? What do you think?"

Bo raises her right eyebrow and snorts. "What, swimming lessons? Uh, I'll think about it. Wait we are near. I just need to turn the corner and we are already in Dr. Woods' street." She checks the GPS device. "We're almost there Hale. There are no other cars except for that one on the right side. It may be the caller's car." She slows down the patrol car. "Do you see anyone standing?" "No, all clear." Hale replies. She turns on the radio. "We are already here in 376 Summit Street. We can see a car on the right side of the road. I think it's the caller's car. It's an Audi A4. Did she tell you where she is right now?"

The 911 dispatcher says, "She said she's inside her car because when she was near the house she heard screams asking for help and a lot of whipping and furniture moving. She was shocked because she recognized her colleague's voice. She went inside and made the call to us."

Bo replies, "Okay. Tell her that we are already here and we will be asking her to exit her car so we could speak to her and clarify some things about the possible assault."

"Got it. I'll talk to her now. Dr. Lewis, the police officers are there now. They already saw your car. They need you to exit your vehicle so they could talk to you about your call." She heard the dispatcher talked to the caller.

A female voice answers, "Okay. Tell them to approach my car on the left side so I could see them on my side view mirror."

"I heard it." Bo signaled to Hale. "Hale, please approach the Audi on the left side so that the caller could see you." The caller's voice is vaguely familiar to her; it makes her nervous all of a sudden. "I'll follow you." She speaks to the dispatcher. "I'll talk to you later. My partner is already approaching the car."

"Got it officer. I already said goodbye to the caller. She's all yours."

She sees Hale go to the driver's side and knocks on the window. The driver rolls it down. She walks towards the car.

Hale's breath hitches when he sees who the caller is.

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 **Yale New Haven Hospital**

 **New Haven, CT**

Dr. Lauren Lewis is having a not-so-good day. And as the clock winds down to its last hours, she thinks it could still get better or worse. She hopes it will be the former.

She knew it first thing in the morning when she decided to wear red. Typically, she wore safe colors like white, gray or blue. She also favored pink, green and brown. But definitely not red. Well, it's Friday and she thinks maybe she can be crazy just for a day.

 **Start - Flashback**

So when she was looking at the row of button down shirts she owned, her eyes landed on the red one. She remembered this one because Vex gave it to her last year on her birthday. He said it's a lucky shirt and maybe it's time for her to wear a color that will let her shine or be noticed. She remembered answering that she didn't want to be noticed, thank you very much. She's through with being noticed. When she was back home, she and her brother were paraded in every party that their parents hosted. Her mother once told her that it was necessary for them to host these parties since they were in the food business, they needed to be advertised. And because she was inquisitive in nature, she asked if that was the case then why she and her brother should also be advertised, they were not food. Her father laughed and hugged her and said she was very wise. She was only 7 at that time. Her mother frowned and said she should behave or else, there would be extra hours for her violin lessons. From the start, she and her mother didn't have the best relationship. They just tolerated each other. So when the time came that she had to go to university, she had chosen Yale so she could be far away from her and her domineering ways. But by doing that, she also left the people who really mattered to her: her father and her paternal grandparents. What hurt the most was they understood that she needed to do it.

She hadn't noticed that she was reminiscing that long and when she glanced at her Seiko Padi Diver watch, she realized she would be running late if she changed her mind about her outfit. She finally decided to go with the red button down shirt. Sometimes it was refreshing to do some changes.

After 30 minutes, she was already in her car and ready to start her day. Her housemate and fellow resident in Yale Hospital Ciara Adkins was in the passenger seat and was looking at Lauren like she was an newly found specie of flesh eating virus. "Lauren, why are you wearing red? It's Friday. Red shirts were supposed to be worn on Mondays."

"What? I didn't know that there's a color coding for what you wear every day." Lauren laughed. "So since it's Friday I should have worn brown?" She looked at Ciara's brown wrap around blouse.

"Well it's up to you. But red should only be worn on Mondays. That's a sacred rule." Ciara asserted.

"Whose rule was that? That's crazy. You are a crazy lady. Wait till I tell Vex about this sacred rule." Lauren teased her friend.

"He would agree. And he will be happy that you finally wear that shirt he gave you last year. It suited you. It was different. Seriously, you should wear more reds from now on." Ciara beamed at her friend. "Hey, are you still going to do the shopping later? Maybe I can accompany you."

"No it's okay. I can handle it. Besides you and Dyson will be talking over Skype later. You don't have to miss it. If I need help, I'll just text Vex." Lauren started the car and got out of their yard.

"Okay. I'll text Dyson that our talk later is still on." Ciara frowned. "To be honest with you Lauren, I think your cousin and I really need to do this Skype thing later."

"Why, are you two fighting? Did he do something to you?" Lauren looked at her friend with a concerned face.

"No, no, no! Actually Dyson is sweet. We're good. It's just not easy to be in a long distance relationship. But he's worth it." Ciara smiled.

"That's good. I'm happy for you and Dy. He's a good man. I'm saying this not just because he's my cousin and one of my best friends but because he's kind and very protective of his loved ones. You, on the other hand, had been my friend since we met in Yale. You were always there for me. You are lucky to have each other." Lauren declared.

"Thank you Lauren. You know that Dyson really loves you like his sister. He always talks about you and how he missed those years with you when he was recruited in the army." Ciara touched Lauren's arm. "He always wishing that you find someone that will love and take care of you because you deserved it."

Lauren's eyes were glassy when she looked at Ciara. "I… don't know. I think it's not my time yet. I'm also busy with my residency. And you know that I haven't dated since we graduated from medical school. No one had shown interest in me."

Ciara looked at Lauren. "I don't think that's true. Many had shown interest in you but maybe you just hadn't felt that connection with someone else."

Lauren bit her lower lip and mumbled, "I already felt it."

Ciara asked, "What? I can't understand you."

"I said I already felt it."

"When, how, where?"

"A year ago? I told you and Vex about it." Lauren sighed.

"A year ago… wait. Is it the gorgeous police officer? You are still thinking about her? But… but that was a year ago." Ciara was dumbfounded.

"Well you weren't there in that moment Ci. She stopped chasing the suspect and helped me to stand up. She held my arms and I saw her face. Her face was the most beautiful face that I've ever seen in my entire life. And when she smiled at me, her dimples showed up. I was mesmerized and when she asked me if I'm okay, I mumbled my thanks. She looked into my eyes one last time when her focus was diverted by a call of help from her partner. She started running again and I stood there looking after her. I saw that the suspect was running very fast and I just can't stand there and let him escape. I mounted my bike and decided to help, adrenaline rushing through my veins. I rode my bike very fast until I saw the suspect. I crashed into him like he did to me. He fell down hard. She and her partner came running and arrested him. They both thanked me and I couldn't believe myself when I stood there and winked at them." Lauren laughed. "And then the need to get out of there came rushing into me so I mounted my bike and rode away."

Ciara remained silent.

"I know it was a year ago Ci but I just can't forget about her – the young, brave and beautiful police officer had me believe that love is possible for me, that I can feel that way for another person. It's just sad that all I had is her last name. I don't know if she lives here in New Haven. Or if she's still single." She was horrified. "Oh my God, what if she's in relationship with her partner? Or another police officer? It's possible right?" She turned to Ciara.

Ciara answered, "Yes it's possible but Lo, you have to think logically about this. The population of New Haven may have reached a hundred of thousands right now. The probability of seeing her again is not that high."

"I don't agree with your theory Ci. The probability is high when you know where to find a person. She's a police officer so she can be found in…"

"… a police station. Yeah, I didn't factor that in. But I'm talking about an accidental meet-up, like randomly seeing her in a coffee shop, in the park or in a restaurant. So in your theory, if you know where to find a person of course the probability of seeing her is really high. That is if you are going around all police stations here in New Haven, then yeah you will see her. Are you going to do that? Well then, good luck." Ciara laughed good-naturedly.

Her laughter was followed by silence.

Ciara looked at Lauren. She saw that Lauren was biting her lower lip. Ciara knew something was up. "Lauren, what did you do? Don't tell me you already went to each police station here in New Haven. Because that's crazy!"

Lauren replied, not meeting her friend's eyes, "Ci, you know that I was extremely busy in the last quarter of last year and the first two quarters of this year. In those times, I rarely got time for myself. I was always in the hospital because I want to finish my residency earlier. So when I freed some time these last few months, I did what I have to do. I knew it was crazy but I did it." She sighed. "There are 10 police stations here in New Haven, including the main one in Union Ave. I already went to 7 of them. Unfortunately, I didn't see a shadow of her or her partner. And of course the fact that although the probability that I will see her in one of them is high, I really don't know how will I approach her or what to tell her."

"You are really crazy! I can't believe it. Did Vex know?"

"Yeah he knew and he also called me crazy. But unlike you, he just laughed and laughed."

"I understand his reaction Lo because for the first time, I think your actions were not rational. It's not you. It's like a completely different person. You're the most rational person that I know and what you did was out of this world."

Lauren didn't know how to answer that because she knew deep inside that Ciara is right. It was very irrational of her to go around every station twice and wait for 10 minutes each time just to see if she can see her there. But her heart says otherwise. It is saying that she just took a chance, that there's nothing wrong with what she had done. She said a thank you when she saw they were approaching the hospital. "Don't worry about me Ci, I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself. And please don't tell Dy. I will tell him about it myself." She smiled at her friend. "I did what I did because I really wanted to see her again."

"You know if you felt a connection to her, destiny will find a way. You will meet again. I promise you Lauren. This is my irrational self talking now." Ciara laughed.

Lauren maneuvered the car into the basement parking. She saw that her boss' car was already parked into his designated space. "Fuck, Dr. Ellis was already here." She stopped the car and faced her friend, "Ciara, thank you for that. I really hope that I will see her again very soon. But we really have to go now. We have a meeting in 15 minutes and I don't want to be the last to arrive. He has a nasty stink eye and I don't want to be the receiver of that."

"Go ahead Lauren. I'll see you later okay? Maybe we can do lunch?" Ciara asked.

"Let me see. I'll text you okay?" Lauren got out of the car, retrieved her bag from the back seat and went to the basement elevator.

 **End – Flashback**

Now, she is told by her boss' secretary to see him before she leaves for the day. She goes straight to Dr. Ellis' office. She knocks twice and hears "Come in." She opens the door and sees him holding his phone. "Please take a seat Dr. Lewis," he says. "I summoned you because I have a problem and I hope you can help me." He massages his forehead and continues, "I know that you are a very observant person but I know that you don't talk about your observation if it doesn't concern you or if it's nothing to do with our work here. But right now I need you to talk about it." He sighs. "This has something to do with Dr. Nadia Woods. She hasn't been reporting to me since Monday. And I know that you know that this is not the first time she did this. I want to know Dr. Lewis if you have a communication with her. Because she mentioned to me that you were in the same residential college in Yale and you were classmates in medical school."

"Yes, both statements are correct Dr. Ellis. But unfortunately, the only communication I have with her is when we are here in the hospital. We did not develop any friendly relationship. I can honestly say that we didn't have a good relationship way back in college. Maybe the best term that I can describe our relationship is that we are civil to each other. That's all." Lauren tells him.

"I'm afraid that you will say that. It's because I also have a keen sense of observation and I saw from your daily interactions that you are not really friendly to each other. But you know, she's like that to everybody so I'm not shocked." The older doctor blows a heavy breath. "But the two of us can say that among the doctors here in our department, she has the best relationship with you. Am I right Dr. Lewis?"

Lauren knows where this talk will end. And she don't like it at all. She really is having a not-so-good day. And it will get worse after this. But she needs to answer the hanging question. She knows she can't deny it. She's the only doctor that Nadia talks to. "Yes you are right Dr. Ellis. May I know the real reason you summoned me here?"

"I will get straight to my point Lauren."

 _Uh huh, he used my first name. He's really desperate._ Lauren sighs.

"I would like to request if you could visit her today, just to check what's happening to her. When you entered my office earlier and saw me on the phone, I was trying to call her but my calls went straight to voice mail. I am really concerned about her Lauren." He frowns.

 _Vex will blow a gasket if he will know about this. And I can't keep a secret from him. But I can't possibly refuse Dr. Ellis' request._ Suddenly, she has an idea. "Okay Dr. Ellis I will go and visit her today. What is her address?" She asks.

"I'm really glad that you will do this Dr. Lewis. Wait, let me consult my rolodex. Here it is – 376 Summit Street. It's in Fair Haven Heights." He smiles.

"Okay Dr. Ellis, I will go straight there as soon as I get out of here." She smiles.

"Thank you Dr. Lewis. I really appreciate it." He stands and goes in front of Lauren and shakes her hands.

Lauren smiles and says her goodbye to their department head. Dr. Albert Ellis is a sexagenarian and has been with the department for over 20 years. She really can't refuse him. Although she's not familiar with Fair Haven Heights, she needs to go there. Maybe there's a nearby police station. _There you go, two birds in one stone._ She checks her phone and opened Google map. Yes, there's a police station near Nadia's house. It says District 9 East Shore. She goes to the elevator for the basement parking lot. While waiting for the elevator to go down, she thinks of her conversation with Dr. Ellis about Nadia. Nadia was an enigma to her. She and her friend Perry Saunders insulted and taunted Lauren during their pre-med days. At the age of 16, she was the youngest student in their residential college. She was lanky and shy and a little bit of anti-social. There was one instance when she was cornered by Nadia and Perry and they threw insults after insults to her. That was one of the worst days of her life. Good thing Ciara was there. They became close because of that. Vex was livid when she told him about it. The taunting continued for a year, especially when she's alone. Vex, Ciara and one of their friends convinced her to tell one of the counselors what Nadia and Perry were doing to her. Perry was actually kicked out of Yale because of it; Lauren was not his first victim of bullying. Nadia, on the other hand, was just reprimanded because she's also a first year student but what she had done to Lauren permanently put a mark on her school records. She can still remember the time when they graduated from pre-med, Nadia talked to her and told her that the reason she went along with Perry's taunting of Lauren was because she had a huge crush on her. Lauren laughed out loud. She can't believe Nadia's audacity. When she told her friends, they made her promise not to speak to the despicable girl again. Unfortunately, she and Ciara went to medical school with Nadia. Nadia was so full of herself and started wooing Lauren. Good thing Lauren had already blossomed into a more confident woman and she rejected Nadia's advances early on.

Lauren goes out of the elevator and goes straight to her car. She continues her analysis regarding her relationship with Nadia when she drives out of the basement. She keys in the address in the GPS device and finds out that it will only take her 13 minutes to reach Nadia's house. _What will I tell Vex about my little excursion to Nadia's house and what will be his reaction?_ It was actually Vex who confronted Nadia and told her to stop her advances towards Lauren. It was very effective because Nadia did stop and appeared scared of her every time they see each other in Yale. Maybe it's something Vex told Nadia during the confrontation that finally made her stop. Lauren actually didn't ask him and he didn't tell Lauren. It was during their residency when Nadia approached her and finally said sorry about the things she did during their pre-med days. She accepted the apology but as she told Dr. Ellis, they did not develop a good relationship. They were just civil to each other.

"So why am I here at the middle of the road going to her house and checking on her if she's okay?" She tells no one in the car. "I must be crazy right? Well Lauren, ever since you met the gorgeous police officer you are acting crazy and irrational. Or maybe because I wore red today. So this is just a little bit of crazy. What will Vex and Ciara's reaction be?" She sighs. "My day keeps on getting better and better. I just planned to go to the supermarket but here I am."

She realizes she's already on Summit Street and searches for Nadia's house number. "Well there it is, 376 Summit Street. Hmmm the house is dark. It is only the house in the neighborhood with no lights." She bites her lip. She cruises the car to the right side of the road opposite Nadia's house. She kills the car's engine and opens the passenger window. Before she get out of the car, she needs to survey the surroundings first. Her quiet rumination is disturbed when she hears a loud whipping followed by furniture moving coming from Nadia's house. What really got her is the pained scream that pierced into the silence of the night. She gets out of her car but does not cross the road. Another series of whipping, scraping and screaming comes out of the house. She decides to seek help. She pulls out her phone from her bag and dials 911.

"911, what's the address of the emergency?" The dispatcher answers her call.

"It's 376 Summit Street here in Fair Haven Heights."

"Okay got it. What is the emergency all about?"

"I went here to check on my colleague's whereabouts because she's not reporting to work for 5 days."

"What's your colleague's name?"

"It's Dr. Nadia Woods."

"And your name?"

"It's Dr. Lauren Lewis."

"Okay Dr. Lewis, what happened?"

"I stopped my car and went outside to go to the house. I was already halfway there when I heard whipping, scraping of furniture and screaming from the address that I gave you. It went on and on so I decided to get back to my car. When I heard the muffled screams, I sat inside to calm myself. When I felt myself calming down, that's the time I decided to call you."

"Okay well I already got a call started to the nearest police station and the EMTs. You are still sitting in your car right? You have no visuals, you are just hearing the sounds correct?"

"That is correct but my conclusion is based on the fact that this is the only house that has no light. It is very dark. I am parked right here opposite the house. There, the sounds stops. All I can hear now are muffled screams for help. Maybe the suspect already left the house?"

"Okay Dr. Lewis. The police officers are coming, they are already on their way."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. I will be here until the police officers arrive."

All Lauren can do now is to wait. If she's being honest right now, what's happening scared the shit out of her. "What if it's really Nadia? Is this the reason why she's not reporting to Dr. Ellis?" After a couple of minutes, she saw a patrol car approaching in her side mirror.

The 911 dispatcher spoke to her. "Dr. Lewis, the police officers are there now. They already saw your car. They need you to exit your vehicle so they could talk to you about your call."

"Okay. Tell them to approach my car on the left side so I could see them on my side view mirror."

"Got it. I already told the officers Dr. Lewis. And I have to go now."

"Thank you very much for your help."

She puts down her phone and looks at her side view mirror. She sees a tall police officer approaching her car. She sighs and closes her eyes. "This will be a long night. I can't believe that I'm in the middle of an emergency." She hears her phone ringing and she knows who is calling. It's Vex. She ignores it and tries to concentrate on what's happening right now. She hears the officer knock on her window and opens it. She hears a loud gasp and she can't believe that it is coming from her. The face outside the window is very familiar but didn't know that she will be seeing tonight.

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 **Author's Note:** **Seriously, I think I need a beta. How can I have one? Please help.**


	2. Chapter 2 - Fall 2006

**Author's Note: I would like to thank all of these lovely people who read, reviewed, followed and made my story their favorite. I am very humbled because I never imagined that someday I will be writing a story here in FF. Before Lost Girl, I had read a few stories of one my earlier ships. I was satisfied of just reading the stories here. But when I got to know about Lost Girl and Doccubus (the best ship ever!), I began to imagine a world with them on it although it's an alternate universe. This chapter is actually hard to write because I really don't know about police procedures. So bear with me please. Thanks in advance. Just a trivia, the first Lost Girl FF story that I read and made me look for other Lost Girl FF stories is Always the Only One by Pokiepup. It's a one-shot story but it always pulls my heartstrings every time I read it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Lost Girls and the characters. I just used them for my story.**

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 **Chapter Two**

 **Fair Haven Heights**

 **New Haven, CT**

Hale can't believe what he's seeing right now. _Is this for real?_ Right now, he needs to speak to her. He clears his throat and asks, "Are you Dr. Lewis, the 911 caller?"

The woman blinks and answers, "Yes I am Dr. Lewis and I'm the one who called 911."

"Can you step out right now doctor so my partner and I can speak to you regarding this emergency?" He smiles. He sees Bo walking towards the car in his peripheral vision.

"Of course Officer Santiago." She smiles. There's a certain familiarity on her smile.

Right then and there, Hale knows that the doctor remembered him. "Let me help you," he says while opening her door.

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Bo walks towards Hale and the caller. She sees that her partner was smiling and the smile was wide; the smile he usually gives to Kenzi. _Uhuh, maybe the caller is beautiful. But wait, the hair is blonde. Well he said blondes were not his type but why is he smiling like that?_

She sees Hale helped the blonde out of her car. Her eyes goes down to the shoes; they were black patent leather pointed toe square high heel pumps. She can't wear those. She's more on black combat shoes. Her eyes travels up to the black pencil skirt. _This woman has long legs._ _That I can wear but not in a regular basis. Maybe if the occasion requires it._ Her eyes goes up and sees the red button down shirt. Y _eah, that's my color. It really fits her well._ She smiles. Her smile fades when she sees who it was. She opens her mouth to speak but no words comes out. She can feel her heart beat; it is very loud. It feels like her heart wants to come out of her chest.

Hale observes the emotions play on Bo's face. He will be laughing now if he didn't know the seriousness of the situation. It seems that Bo won't be speaking any time right now so once again, he clears her throat and says, "Dr. Lewis, this is my partner Officer Bo Dennis. Bo, she is the 911 caller. Her name is Dr. Lauren Lewis."

"Hi Officer Dennis, I'm Dr. Lauren Lewis of Yale Hospital. Nice meeting you… again." Lauren says the last word in a smaller voice but it seems the woman in front of her heard it. She offers her hand.

Bo can't believe that she's here right now and she's going to shake hands with the woman that occupied her mind these last few months. She accepts the hand and said, "Hi Dr. Lewis. Oh yeah, nice meeting you again. I didn't know you remembered us. Because you know our first meeting is like 10 minutes or so. And my partner and I didn't get your name." She smiles widely and tries not to ramble. The hand that she clasps was warm and that warmth travels throughout her body. Oh it is nice to lose herself with this woman's touch.

Lauren looks at Bo and sees the dimples that shows up when the officer smiled. _Oh shit, I love her smile_. "Of course, who wouldn't remember the two of you? I saw the dynamics of your partnership, your interaction with each other and your strategy to catch the suspect." She says loudly. "And now it looks like we're on the same situation – the two of you saving the day." She can't believe how confident she sounds right now. She thinks it's because of the woman in front of her. She smirks.

When Bo sees the smirk, she bites her lip and looks down. She is shy all of a sudden, especially when she feels that she's still holding the doctor's hand. She clears her throat, looked into the woman's eyes and says, "Ah… yes and you are also here, you are going to help us as usual."

It feels like they are just the only people in the world that time. How much each stare conveys what words cannot express. The doctor looks into the officer's dark brown eyes. She loves how expressive this woman's eyes are. She can see the warring emotions those eyes held – excitement, joy, anxiety and tenderness. The last one she doesn't expect and makes her breathless. The officer, on the other hand, seeks the other woman's eyes and finds warmth and curiosity. _Why I am feeling so vulnerable? It's like she's looking into my soul right now._

Hale feels like he's intruding to the private conversation these two women are having but he's there to remind them that they still have a job to do before anything else. "Ladies, why don't we talk about the 911 emergency call that Dr. Lewis did earlier?" He smiles.

Both women look at Hale and suddenly the bubble burst. Lauren removes her hand from Bo's and returns her attention to the other officer. Bo, on the other hand, misses the warmth of the doctor's hand. She chastises herself and she knows that her partner will say something about her behavior later. Now, they have a job to do.

Bo retrieves her notebook from her back pocket and starts writing. She looks at the doctor and asks, "Dr. Lewis, can you tell us the reason you called 911?"

"Of course." She tells them about her meeting with Dr. Ellis but consciously suppress about her complicated relationship with Nadia. It is deliberate but she will tell them if it will help the situation they are in. She also tells them about the sounds she heard from the house.

"Hale, we need to go inside the house now. My gut is telling me that we won't like what we are going to see but I hope the suspect is still there so I can kick his ass." Her hands were clenches.

"Okay partner. Dr. Lewis, you need to go with us. We cannot compromise your safety. Please get your bag from the car. Keep your phone in a silent mode. We don't need to alert the suspect that we are here. Bo, I think we need backups. The house has a basement and the suspect can hide there. Someone should be on the front door and on the back door." Hale said, crossing the road to the house. Bo and Lauren follow him.

"I agree. Can you please call the station for that? We also need someone that will interview the immediate neighbors, ask if they hear the sounds next door." She turns to Lauren. "It's not that we don't believe you Dr. Lewis but we need other witnesses. We also need to know if this is not the first time this happened since you told us that Dr. Woods had been missing in action at work for quite a few times this year."

"Of course, Officer Dennis. I understand. In fact, it would be better if there are witnesses other than me. If you catch the suspect and this case will be tried in court, the burden of proof will be with the suspect." Lauren says matter-of-factly.

Bo smiled. "Are you sure you're not a lawyer, Dr. Lewis?" Her voice is unconsciously husky.

"No, I just read a lot of detective and crime novels when I was in high school." _Is she flirting with me?_

"Oh, we have common interests. That's nice." Bo says dreamily. "I also love those kinds of books."

Lauren raises her right eyebrow and bites her lip. She's thinking what to reply to that when suddenly they heard Hale talking to his partner.

"Bo, the backups will be here in 5 minutes. For now, I'll go to the back door to check."

"Okay Hale, we will check the windows to determine the location of the victim."

Bo goes to the windows at the left side of the front door. "Dr. Lewis, can you help me check the windows? We need to know the location of the victim."

"Sure." Lauren goes to the other set of windows. Looking inside, she notices the bed. She scans the room carefully. She's going to the next set of windows when she hears Bo speak.

"Here Dr. Lewis. There's a woman lying on the couch. Maybe you can identify if it's Dr. Woods?"

Lauren went to where Bo was and looks inside. What she saw makes her curse. "Yes I can positively tell you that the woman on the couch is Dr. Nadia Woods."

"Then we need to go inside. Let me take a look if the door is locked or not." Bo speaks to Hale through her radio. "Hale, Dr. Lewis and I saw a woman lying in the couch in the living room and she identified her as Dr. Nadia Woods. We will be entering the house now. I want to wait for the backups but I really have to check the victim right now."

"Copy partner, just be careful."

Bo tries the door and finds it unlocked. "The door is not locked. We can enter but Dr. Lewis I would like to remind you not to touch any surface of the house, do you understand?" Bo continued when she saw Lauren nod. "I cannot compromise your position as a witness of a possible crime." She just need to protect her at all costs. _Whoa, where did that protective instinct come from?_

Bo retrieves her side arm from its holster and nods to Lauren to follow. She's making sure that the suspect is nowhere in sight. They continue walking inside the house and see the woman on the couch. She returns her gun into its holster when she's sure there's no imminent danger. What they see shock both of them. On Nadia's face are long weals – red, swollen marks left by blows. These kinds of marks are also visible on her limbs. Her clothes are torn and bloody.

Bo goes near the couch and touches Nadia's neck to check if she's still breathing. She feels a faint pulse. She turns her radio on and talks to an operator. "Please dispatch the ambulance here in 376 Summit Street. The victim Dr. Nadia Woods is injured and unconscious and needs immediate help." She turns to Lauren. "I know that as a doctor you want to check on her but as a witness, you can't do it this time. I'm sorry Dr. Lewis."

Lauren looks at Bo. She can still see the tenderness in her eyes. "I understand Officer Dennis. You are just doing your job. I'm just glad that I did my part. Whoever did this to her should be jailed for a long time."

"Then we'll make sure that we do that. Seeing those injuries on her made me angry and pissed. Women like her should not be subjected to this kind of abuse. It's too much." Bo sighs. She speaks to Hale, "Hale, the backups are here now. Mendoza is here checking the other rooms right now. We found Dr. Woods unconscious. The EMTs should be here any minute by now."

Mendoza comes out from the third room. "Dennis, I searched the other three rooms but there are no signs of the suspect. All clear."

"Can you help me search for a possible weapon? It can be a whip or a lash." Bo turns to her radio. "Hale, where are you? Do you find anyone there at your side? Mendoza cleared all bedrooms. Suspect is not here."

Hale answers right away, "Bo, I'm with Torres and we already checked the kitchen and the dining room. No sign of anyone there. We are now going to the basement. McBride and Carson will be interviewing the neighbors."

Bo looks at the front door and sees the other officer. "Hey Mendoza, the ambulance already here yet?"

The officer replies, "Yup the EMTs are now here."

Bo directs the EMTs to the living where Nadia lays. She turns to the other officer and asks, "Dp you see any possible weapon that resembles a whip, a lash or anything that can cause the injuries our victim had?"

"No, I don't see any weapon."

"That's okay. It's possible that the suspect took it with him." She hears Hale said something in the radio. "Bo, we see a light coming from one of the rooms here in the basement. We will check it out. Good thing there is no other exit but the door that we will be entering right now. We are hearing some background noise. Let's hope that we can use the element of surprise here."

"Good luck partner. The EMTs are here now and loading the victim in the ambulance." Bo asks Lauren, "Are you going with Dr. Woods?"

"No. Is it okay for me to step outside so I could call our department head in Yale? I think he's still there and he will like to know what happened to Dr. Woods."

"Yes, no problem at all." Bo stares at Lauren's back. She don't want to linger outside because there's still the suspect to be caught but she can't help but look at the doctor shamelessly. _She's a doctor and is working in Yale Hospital. She's been there all along._ She sees how the pencil skirt fit the woman's hips. She stares at her legs, shapely and endless. And the red button down shirt, it suits the doctor's slender body. She can see how it clings to her arms and back. And how about her hair? She hopes she can run her fingers through the doctor's hair and feel how soft those golden threads are. She also likes how the blonde carries herself, she's very confident with her body. "She's perfect. Her face, nothing changed. She's still very beautiful. And I don't think she's single." She whispers to herself. This conclusion makes her heart hurt a little. "But maybe she is. All I can do is ask. But how will I do that without being awkward?" She's still ruminating when she is called by one of the EMTs.

"You are Officer Dennis correct?" Bo nods. "We will be transporting the victim to Yale Hospital Emergency Room. Her pulse is still weak but we already connected her to an oxygen tank. We need to get there soon because of the severity of her injuries. Is anyone here to accompany the victim to ER?"

"No but there will be someone who will be waiting for her in ER. His name is Dr. Albert Ellis." Bo tells the EMT.

"Good. I hope you catch whoever did this to her." The EMT smiles.

"We will do our best. Take care of her."

Bo sees the ambulance drives away with Nadia. She is alerted by Lauren calling her.

"Officer Dennis, I heard sounds coming from the basement."

Bo turns to her radio and speaks to Hale. "Hale, what's going on there now?" He doesn't answer. "Shit, I need to go down there." She turns to Lauren and says, "Dr. Lewis, you need to go and sit in your car for now. I'll send Mendoza with you. I think something happened at the basement. I need you to be safe and not be in the middle of a takedown. I will come back to you as soon as we finished in the basement okay?"

Lauren stares at her and says, "Promise?"

Bo wants to smile but she sees the sincerity of the question. "Yes promise. And when I come back, please call me Bo."

The doctor bites her lip. "And you can call me Lauren."

"Okay. I will."

Lauren reaches out for Bo's hands. "Be careful down there okay?"

Looking down at their joined hands, Bo smiles and says, "Okay." She speaks to Mendoza, "Please accompany Dr. Lewis in her car. She's the 911 caller and an important witness to whatever happened here. I will go down the basement where Hale and Torres are, okay?" The officer nods. She turns her back and runs inside the house.

The officer walks the doctor to her car and stands guard outside. She sits at the driver's seat and retrieves her phone from the bag. She looks at the screen and sees that she has 10 missed calls. 8 calls were from Vex and 2 from Ciara. She sees the time and curses. "Maybe they are thinking of weird things right now. I need to call Vex." She dials Vex' number and wait for him to answer. In the third ring, he answers.

"Lauren oh my God! Where are you? We are scared shit that someone will call us and will say that your body is found in a ditch."

Lauren rolls her eyes. "You're very dramatic. I'm not in a ditch right now. I'm in my car and I'm okay."

"But where are you? Don't tell me you are parked in front of a police station and is waiting for a certain Officer Dennis to come out of the door."

"Yeah well I'm actually waiting for her to come out of the door but not the door of a police station but of a house."

"Whoa what? You saw her? What house? Where are you?"

"Okay, stop. I will explain later. But now, I don't need to be agitated because I'm actually a little bit nervous. Bo is in the basement right now."

"Who's Bo? And what basement?"

"Please calm down Vex. I said I'm alright. It will be a long night I think. You don't need to wait for me."

"No. Tell me the address and I will go there."

"No please. I can take care of myself. And a police officer is already guarding me."

"What? I will take no for an answer. Please give me the address. I will just call you again and again until you give in. And you know you can't resist me."

Lauren sighs. "Okay. I'll text you the address. My car is on the right side of the road. I'll see you."

Five minutes has passed but still no Bo or Hale are coming out of the basement. She sees the other police officers beside their patrol cars. Then she spots a taxi cab arriving. It must be Vex.

He comes out the cab and hollers, "Lo, what are you doing here in Fair Haven Heights? And why are police cars here?"

"Don't shout. I said I'll explain it to you later." She sees Mendoza is walking towards her.

"Dr. Lewis, who is this man?" Mendoza asks.

"This is my friend, Mr. Vex Tate." The officer nods. "Officers Dennis, Santiago and Torres are still in the basement. Can you please check if they are okay?"

"Of course Dr. Lewis." He turns to his radio. "Dennis, Santiago, Torres are you okay there?" No one's answering. "What's happening there?"

After a few seconds, someone answers. "Torres here. We caught the bastard. The weapon was in his possession. We are coming up right now. No one's hurt except for him." He laughs.

"Copy. Thank God. We'll wait for you here." He turns to Lauren. "Do you hear that Doc? They caught the bastard."

Lauren smiles. "Thank you Officer Mendoza." She sees the look in Vex' face. "Relax, now that the bastard was caught we can now go home."

Vex laughs. "Uh Lo, if you are in this situation you won't be going home any sooner. They need to get your statement and sign it. That's the time that you can go."

Lauren cringes. But wait, if Bo will be the one who's going to get her statement then it's okay with her. She smiles.

Before Vex can ask her about her sudden change of mood, Bo, Hale and Torres went out of the house with a man in a handcuff. He is looking down and is escorted by Hale and Torres. Bo is following them and is talking on her radio. When she stops, her eyes roams. She smiles when she sees the doctor.

"Whoa, who's that?" Vex' eyes are on the brunette.

"That's Bo, Officer Bo Dennis." Lauren tells him.

"Officer Bo Dennis… Dennis… wait, is that…?" Vex' eyes turn to Lauren and go back to Bo. His mouth forms an O.

"Yes, that's her. Now do you understand?" Lauren sighs and looks at Bo. "Do you see how her uniform fit her? And how beautiful her face is?" She looks down and bites her lip. "I wonder if she's already taken or not."

"Lo, she's walking towards us. And what's with her face? Is that a frown?" Vex smiles wickedly. "Maybe she doesn't want me here huh?"

"Be quiet. And don't smile like that please. That's your wicked smile that I hate so much." She kicks at Vex' shin.

"Ouch Lo, are you a horse?"

She is about to answer Vex when she sees Bo in front of her. "Hey Bo you came back."

"I told you I will come back for you." She smiles at Lauren and turns her attention to Vex. "And who's this?"

"Hi, I'm Vex Tate. I'm Lauren's boyfriend." He smiles and offers his hand to Bo.

Bo's smile falters and asks, "Her boyfriend?"

"Yes, we have been steady since 2005 when I moved here in New Haven." Vex has been observing Bo's reaction and he likes what he's seeing.

"Oh… that's great… to have someone you love… with you here." Bo stammers but still smiling, her hands clench but are hidden inside her pockets.

"Vex, what are you telling her?" Lauren exclaims and slaps his arm. She turns to Bo and says, "She's not my boyfriend. He's my bestfriend/brother/bodyguard."

Vex frowns and said, "Hey, don't blow my cover." He turns to Bo and winks. "I'm just kidding officer." He offers his hand again.

Bo takes his hand. "That's okay. Nice meeting you Mr. Tate. I'm Officer Bo Dennis." _Shit, shit, shit you're busted._

"I'm just Vex. You have a strong grip. And you are beautiful."

Bo blushes with the compliment. "I… well… thank you."

"Very modest too. I like you."

"Uhm… what?" Bo asks incredulously.

"No… no… not in a romantic kind of way. I like you because you're modest and you are not so full of yourself. I like that in a person." Vex smiles.

"And you are not going to embarrass her further with your compliments." Lauren interjects. She can't believe that Bo is a very shy person when she was showered with praises. "I'm so sorry Bo. Vex here is a very passionate with words when he really likes someone. Don't worry, he's not dangerous. He's my bestfriend and he's here because he got scared when I didn't answer his calls."

"That's okay Lauren. It's just that I'm not really comfortable if someone is giving me compliments. Especially when it's about my physical appearance." Bo smiles. "And Vex, she's safe here with us."

"Okay. Then pray tell me, who is that guy who's now being dragged to a car?"

"He's the suspect of an aggravated assault or a possible domestic violence that happened in that house. We caught him in the basement with a whip."

Vex sees his face and suddenly, he exclaimes, "Wait, I know him."

"What? Who did you know?" Bo asks.

"The suspect, I know him. I see his face. I can't forget that face."

Lauren asks him. "Who is it Vex?"

"It's Percy Saunders. It's Percy fucking Saunders." Vex' frown turns into a scowl.

"What? Oh my God. Why is it happening today?" Lauren laments.

"I'm so sorry Lo. I didn't think." Vex touches Lauren's arm. "When I saw him, I just have to tell the police. But what is he doing there? Who is living in that house?"

Bo sees Lauren's and Vex' faces and decides to ask, "What's going on? Who is Percy Saunders? What is his relationship with Dr. Nadia Woods?"

"Wait, Nadia? This is all about Nadia?" Vex turns to Lauren. "What happened Lo? Why did Bo mention her name?"

"That's what I'm going to explain to you Vaughn. I'm here because that's Nadia's house. And I'm a witness to a crime."

"Nadia is the victim and Percy is the suspect? But how?" Vex turns to Bo. "Can you explain it to me officer?"

Bo exhales. "I'm actually puzzled right now. All I know is Nadia was abused, possibly a victim of domestic violence. But we still need to confirm his relationship to the victim. Lauren, McBride and Carson confirmed our theory. The neighbors actually heard the same sounds you have mentioned – the whipping, scraping of furniture and screaming for help. And today was not the first time. How do you know the suspect?"

"Bo, we will tell you how we knew him but can we do this maybe at the police station? And so we could positively identify him?" Lauren asked.

"But Lo, I'm positive that he's Percy Saunders."

"I know, it's not that I don't believe you Vaughn. But the police are thorough. Bo, please tell him."

"Yes Vex, we need to go the station so we could formally ask for Lauren's statement regarding the crime. We need to write it so she could read it, testify that what's in the report is true and sign it. And since you recognized the suspect, we also need to get your statement and then you and Lauren can officially identify him."

"Okay. Let's go so that maybe we can still salvage the day and have a good night sleep later."

Bo smiles at Vex. "So let's go." She calls Hale. "Hale, are you going to ride with me?"

Hale walks towards them. He sees Vex and turns to Bo. "Who is this?"

"This is Vex Tate, Lauren's bestfriend. He's here because he got scared when Lauren didn't answer his calls."

Hale raises his eyebrows on Bo's use of Lauren's first name.

Bo looks at Hale, her eyes begging to save his questions later.

Hale offers his hand to Vex. "Hi Mr. Tate, I'm Officer Hale Santiago. You don't have to worry. Dr. Lewis is safe here with us."

Vex takes it and smiles. "I know. It's just that I thought she's in a supermarket and then next thing I know, she's here being witness to a crime." He suddenly scowls, "And there's Percy Saunders."

"Who is Percy Saunders?" Hale asks.

Bo explains, "Hale, Lauren and Vex know the suspect. Vex sees his face and recognizes him when you are dragging to him the car. They need to go with us to the station so that they can formally state that they know the suspect. And the fact that we did not find any ID for him makes it very important that we have someone to identify him, besides the victim of course."

"Whoa, he didn't have any wallet or purse that you can look at for identification?" Vex asks.

"No, there's no wallet in his body when we searched him. For us to be able to search the house, we need to ask for a warrant. And at this time, I don't think we can wait for that." Hale explains.

"So are you going to ride with me or you going with Mendoza and Torres?" Bo asks Hale.

Hale answers, "We already secured the suspect at the back of the car. McBride and Carson will be with him. So I'm gonna ride with you. We'll follow their car."

"Can you drive? I'll ride shotgun." She turns to Lauren and Vex. "Vex, can you drive Lauren's car to the station? Just follow us."

"Aye, aye captain." Vex salutes.

Bo just sighed at Vex' antics. "Let's go."

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"You are being silent." Vex looks at Lauren.

Lauren shrugs. "What can I say Vex? Seeing Percy Saunders and knowing that he did this to Nadia made me tongue-tied."

"Your tongue has more uses than that Lo. For example, drag that super hot police officer in a corner and have some tongue exercises with her." He wiggles his eyebrows.

"You are disgusting Vex. Bo is nothing but very kind and respectful to me during all of these and you are thinking of me doing that to her? Of course not. She needs to be wooed if I have my way." Lauren sighs.

"Then do it. Don't just stand there and stare shamelessly at her."

"You know that I'm not pro-active if it comes to wooing prospective romantic partners Vex. I haven't done it my whole life."

"Then if you really like her Lo, you need to do something. This is it, this is your chance."

"Oh yeah I will but first I need to know if she's dating someone right now. Because if she is, then that's it."

"Lo, I don't think she's dating someone else right now. Did you see her reaction when I told her that I'm your boyfriend? Priceless!"

"Yeah I saw it Vex but that doesn't mean that she's not dating someone else right now okay? Her reaction says that yeah she likes me but it wouldn't prevent her from dating others. You know that based on our mutual experience. Do you want me to reminisce huh?"

"Oh no, I agree with you thank you very much. No need to remind me of our mutual sordid past. So okay, I will help you with that aspect. But if we confirm that she's not dating, act on it alright? The ball is in your court."

"You know that I don't do these things right? I mean, you know my dating history Vaughn. I haven't dated since medical school. That was 4 years ago. In the dating game I am novice or rookie, whatever term you want. And you knew what happened on the dates that I had been to. It's either they are bored with me or they knew I'm a Lewis. What if I date Bo and she'll get bored with me or overwhelmed with my family?" Lauren covers her face with her two hands.

"Hey, hey look at me." Vex holds Lauren's arm. "That's a big what if Lo. What if she won't? You can't know that." He sees his friend's face. "Fine, fine then take it slow okay? Then you need to do something drastic. Like for example…" Vex stares at Lauren's red button down shirt. "… wearing something like this. I just realized you wear my gift to you last year. The color suits you Lo. You need to buy more red stuff okay? And maybe yellow and orange too. You don't have those colors in your closet."

Lauren nods. "Okay whatever you say. Hey we're here."

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Bo sits back at the driver's seat and stares outside the window. Hale looks at her while starting the car. "What are you thinking about Bo?"

She sighs. "I'm just thinking about how the events in the last few hours tangled with my personal life."

Hale laughs, "Oh yeah, how about that? I never expected that. To see her inside the car, when earlier we are just talking about her then poof, she's there. And then you are being smiley and all. Not just that, before I went to the basement you're all 'Dr. Lewis' then when we got out, it's suddenly 'Lauren'.

"Yeah well before I went to the basement to check on you and Torres, Lauren and I had a moment. I told her that once I got out, she had to call me Bo. Then she said I can call her Lauren." She smiles.

"Is the moment a very promising one?"

"It can go either way."

"Why do you say that?"

"Maybe because I can feel that she's dating someone else." Bo looked at Hale. "No, it's not Vex."

"Give me the reasons why you feel that she's dating now."

"Did you see how confident she look? And how beautiful she is right now? She's a doctor and she's working in Yale Hospital. The possibility of meeting someone in there is huge, she can choose. She can have many choices."

"Why don't you just ask her? Why do you keep on thinking about these things when you know that it's also possible that she's not dating right now? You said that it can go either way right? You are always looking at the bad side when all can be on the good side. Be positive Bo."

She sighs. "I don't know, maybe seeing her again put some doubts into my head. You know that I'm full of insecurities. It's just I'm thinking that she's a doctor and I'm just a police officer. I know that I should be proud of our job but you know how it goes."

"Hey, hey stop that. If not for being a police officer then maybe you should start believing in yourself because you are catch partner. Can I enumerate your achievements? You got your bachelor's and master's degrees on Criminal Justice in 5 years. You graduated as Cum Laude. You were given several awards including the ones when you were a varsity player. You were the top student when we finished our police academy training. Last year, you were awarded as the Officer of the Year. You were already given several certificates of commendation, unit citations and letters of recognition. In 2 or 3 years, you may take the test to be a sergeant. Should I go on?"

Bo gulps. "How did you know all that stuff, those when I'm still in college?"

Hale smiles. "Kenzi told me." He realizes that they are already near the police station. "Hey switch your pity party off. We have a job to do."

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 **Author's Note:** **Please read and review. Thank you.**


	3. Chapter 3 - Fall 2006

**Author's Note: Thank you for continuously reading my story. I also saw some of you followed and added it into the list of your favorite stories. A guest reviewer asked why the year 2006 and if the 911 case will be the center of this story. My answers are: 1). I've chosen 2006 because I already had an outline of the whole story and each character's timeline and 2006 was the best year to start it with; 2). No, it's not the center of this story. I made the case longer because Nadia is on it. And I want to capture the moments when Bo and Lauren met again after a year. Here's the third part.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Lost Girl and the characters. I just used them for my story.**

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 **Chapter Three**

 **New Haven Police Department**

 **District 9 East Shore**

 **New Haven, CT**

Bo and Hale got out of their patrol car and went to where Lauren's car was parked. They saw that both passengers were already outside and Vex was on the phone.

"Ciara, Lauren and I are both okay. Yeah, she's here with me. We are in the middle of a police investigation. No, no not that. Please we will explain it to you later when we get home okay? Do you want to speak to her?" Vex turned to Lauren. He pointed to his phone and mouthed, "No?" Lauren shook her head. "She said no Ci. Okay bye." Vex laughed. He looked at Lauren. "She said she'll just call you on your phone."

Lauren huffed and rolled eyes. "Yup, she's calling now." She answered her phone. "Ci, I'm okay. Have you talked to Dyson? Oh, you already told him that I'm missing?" She looked at Vex and frowned. "Well I'm not. And now, he'll also tell Ryan. Great." She looked down. "Don't worry too much. We'll talk later. Bye, Ci." She looked at Vex and said, "This is getting ridiculous. Why is there a need to tell Dyson? Dyson will surely call me. Then of course, Ryan will also have the urge to check on me." Lauren saw that Dyson is calling. She ignored it.

"Why don't you just answer it and give him your standard reply? He won't stop calling you," Vex said.

"Fine. If he demanded a longer explanation, I'll give you the phone." Her phone rang and she answered right away. "Hi Dy. Yes I'm okay. We'll talk later. I promise. Just don't tell Dad okay? I miss you too. Bye." She sighed. She saw Bo and Hale approaching them. She smiled at them. "Are we not going inside?"

Bo answered, "No not yet Lauren. Mendoza or Torres will radio Hale or me if the suspect was already booked and put into a room for interrogation. We need to make sure that he won't see the two of you. We are doing this to protect you." She smiled.

"Thank you Bo," Vex said. "I know that I inserted myself into this case but I really do appreciate all of these."

"No problem. But we are ones who should be thanking you and Lauren because you are going to help us identify the suspect. And by doing so, you are risking your safety. Right Hale?" Bo asked.

"I agree with my partner here." Hale answered. "By the way, you were both busy talking on the phone earlier."

Vex raised his right eyebrow and understood what Hale is doing. He smiled. "Yes Officer Santiago…"

"You can call me Hale, Vex," Hale interrupted.

"Thank you Hale. Yes we were talking to Ciara and Dyson. Ciara is our friend and housemate and Dyson is her boyfriend. Dyson is also Lauren's cousin. Both of them were worried about her."

"Well there's nothing to be worried about. For Christ's sake, we are among police officers here." Lauren said. Her phone was ringing again. "See Vex, Dyson told Ryan and now he's calling too." She answered the phone. 'Ryan, Dy told you." She huffed impatiently. "Well, Vex and I are okay. There's no need to worry. You're in New York right now? No, it's okay Ry. Just go home. Have a safe trip. Bye." She closed her phone and looked at Vex. "He's in New York and he wants to cancel his flight home and come here."

"Oh Ryan, the jetsetter. He wants to rescue his princess but princess here doesn't want to be rescued. Why oh why?" Vex looked at Hale. Hale looked back. _What is he trying to tell me?_

"I'm not his princess Vex. I'm not anyone's princess so stop your insinuations." Lauren frowned.

Vex turned his eyes to Hale. Hale nodded. _Thank God he got it._

Bo watched the two men having their own conversation while Lauren seemed oblivious of the fact.

"Who's Ryan and what's with the princess thing?" Bo asked. _There's something about Ryan. S_ he intended to find out.

"Ryan is one of our friends. And Lauren here doesn't want to be rescued as a princess." Vex told her.

"Well I think that's because she deserves to be rescued as a queen." Bo smiled at the men while she winked at Lauren.

Lauren blushed and bit her lip. Hale was momentarily shocked by his partner's boldness but he eventually smiled while shaking his head. Vex smiled and commented, "Why Officer Dennis, I didn't know you were a smooth talker."

"No I'm not, I'm just telling the truth." She smiled shyly while still looking at Lauren.

Vex smiled wickedly at Lauren's inability to speak at that moment. "Cat got your tongue Lo? Got anything to say about that?"

Lauren clears her throat. "I think that she is just being chivalrous." She looked directly at the officer's dark brown eyes. "Thank you Bo."

Bo gulped as she was mesmerized by Lauren's eyes. "You're welcome Lauren."

Just as the friendly conversation continued, Bo's radio crackled. "Dennis, Santiago you can now bring our visitors here in the station. The suspect is already brought into one of the interrogation rooms."

"Copy sir." Hale looked at his companions. "It's showtime folks. Let's do this." He looked at his watch. "Wow, it's already 9 pm. We should go inside so we could still go home in a decent hour."

"I have a question Bo and Hale; is it always like this? I mean you'll just go on without eating dinner?" Vex asked while walking towards the station. "I also need my coffee."

"Dinner? Shit, what time is it again?" Bo looked at her large 38mm Swiss Mara Chronograph watch. "Hale, when was the last time we ate?" She glanced at Lauren and Vex. "I get cranky when I'm hungry. And no, usually we had our dinner at home. It's just that we get caught up with this case."

Vex looked at Lauren and whispered to her ear, "I think your woman has an appetite. Remember, the way to your woman's heart is through her stomach." He wiggled his eyebrows. Lauren elbowed him. "She's not my woman," she whispered back. "Yet." Vex quipped.

"Oh yeah yeah. 5 pm I guess." Hale knew how cranky Bo gets when the pang of hunger and headache settled into her. "We can call and have something delivered here."

"I really need coffee right now. I get cranky when I don't get my coffee at this hour." Vex whined.

"Okay. Let us first settle inside then we'll order while I write the report. Vex, I also need to get your statement regarding your identification of the suspect. But before we do that, you and Lauren should first go outside the room where the suspect was brought in so you can really look at him. We need to be sure that the man inside that room was really who we thought he is." Bo stated.

"I agree with that plan of action." Hale smiled. "Guys, please follow us."

They went inside the station and sat on the chairs where the desks of Bo and Hale were.

There were few policemen remained. The atmosphere inside the station is calm and quiet.

"Bo, I'll bring Lauren and Vex to identify the suspect. You'll start writing the report?" Hale asked.

"Yes I will. Go on so we could order food. I'm already feeling the headache."

Hale brought Lauren and Vex to their station's officer-in-charge. "Sergeant Sir, these are our witnesses to the 911 call Officer Dennis and I responded to in Fair Haven Heights. This is Dr. Lauren Lewis and Mr. Vaughn Tate. Dr. Lewis and Mr. Tate, this is our officer-in-charge, Sergeant Caleb Smith. Sir, I will bring them outside the interrogation room in order for them to officially identify the suspect."

"Good Officer Santiago. Let me accompany you. This way Dr. Lewis and Mr. Tate." The sergeant walked ahead.

They followed the sergeant into the hallway until he stood outside a room. He turned to them and said, "This is the room where the suspect was being held by now. We will be looking through a one-way mirror. Here we go. Dr. Lewis and Mr. Tate, please take a good look at the suspect and tell me if you really know him and please state his full name."

Lauren and Vex looked inside the room and there they saw the suspect. Lauren looked at Vex and nodded. Vex sighed and said, "Sir we know this man and his name is Percy Saunders."

The sergeant smiled, "Okay. Now we have an identification. But we still need to know his relationship with the victim."

"Sergeant Smith, all I can say is that when we were in Yale the victim and the suspect were friends." Lauren stated.

"Hmmm that's interesting." The sergeant said, looking at the man inside the room.

"Sir, if you allow me I'll get Dr. Lewis and Mr. Tate back to our desks so we could get their official statement?" Hale asked.

"The sooner the better for all of us Santiago. Get Dennis to finish the paperwork so you can check the status of the victim tomorrow. If the victim is still unconscious, you need to talk with her doctor. This is your case now, yours and Dennis'."

"Okay sir, thank you." Hale looked at the two friends. "C'mon let's get back to Bo so we can order our food. I'm already starving."

"And I really need that coffee. Is it okay with you and Bo that we order at Dunkin Donuts?" Vex asked.

"We loved Dunkin Donuts. Let's get back to Bo. She's not kidding. She will be crankier if we don't order right now." Hale laughed.

Lauren raised her right eyebrow. "Then let's order now, shall we? I'll list down the orders. Vex, is it your usual?"

"Yeah of course. Don't forget the espresso shots okay?"

Lauren rolled her eyes. "What about you and Bo, Hale? "

"Let me ask my partner." Hale tapped Bo's desk. "Bo, before you begin with the paperwork, tell me your order. I don't want you to let the banshee out."

Bo blushed and cleared her throat. "You know the usual."

Hale looked at Lauren. "The usual would be a turkey, cheddar and bacon sandwich, a bagel with cream cheese, an egg and cheese wrap with ham, two choco butternut doughnuts and a large cappuccino. Mine would be a ham and cheese sandwich, an Angus steak and egg wrap, two Boston crème doughnuts and a large iced latte.

"That's only for the two of you?" Lauren grinned.

"I can still add another bagel with cream cheese and a choco butternut doughnut but not today. I'll just sleep after this so no need for the extra calories." Bo grinned.

"Wow, I envy you Bo. If I eat like that this," Vex pointing to his abdomen, "will be just one big mass of fat."

"It's in your genetics Vex. Bo, I think, has fast metabolism." Lauren looked at Bo. "But you are not an ectomorph. You are like a mesomorph, an athletic type of body." She looked up and down at Bo' body. "I think you have an exercise regimen that you really follow. And you eat healthy sometimes. If my theories are correct then maybe you're an athlete when you're in college?"

Bo bit her lip. She can't help but to be conscious on how Lauren looked at her. Is she doing it as a doctor or as a woman? Either way, for the first time, it is okay for her to be ogled at. Other times, she felt like she's been sexually objectified and she really hate that because in those times she felt that she's just a piece of meat and nothing more. She wanted to delve more into it in her mind but right now, she has to answer a hanging question. "Yes Lauren, I am a varsity basketball player when I'm in college."

"Me too." Hale winked.

"So we're a bunch of athletes. I am a varsity swimmer in Yale," Vex said. "And Lauren here is a varsity distance runner."

"But when we first saw you, you were in a bike. And I think that it's not just your hobby or something." Bo looked at Lauren.

Vex answered for her. "You are correct Bo. In fact, she's also a swimmer like me."

"I can speak for myself Vex." Lauren turned to Bo and said, "I'm sort of a triathlete and when you first saw me, I'm trying to train for an event but it petered out because of lack of time. I said 'sort of' because I haven't competed in any triathlon event although I really want to."

Bo nodded. It's time for her to ogle at Lauren. "Yeah I can see that." She smiled, her dimples showed.

Lauren blushed and looked away. _Damn this woman. She doesn't like to be one-upped_. "So can we call in our orders now?"

Vex smiled wickedly. _They are still on it. Lauren definitely met her match._ "Oh yeah, I'm really famished. I really need that coffee."

"I'll call them in." Hale said. He looked at the list. "Really, a Box O' Joe of macchiato? And with a shot of espresso each?"

"I will share the coffee with the others but the shots of espresso are all mine." Vex winked. "Coffee ran on my veins Hale. It's my water."

Hale shrugged. He went to the telephone to call the orders in.

"Wow, I liked coffee but not like that." Bo laughed. Then she looked at Lauren. "Hey, have you told him about the bad effects of drinking too much coffee?"

"I've been telling him since we were students in Yale. He said he was born with coffee in his veins so I don't bother to lecture him anymore. He's stubborn when it comes to coffee."

Vex laughed. "Okay lay them on me, you two. But it won't stop me from having espresso every day. Lo, I already ordered that espresso machine that I told you about and it will be delivered to the house in a week or so."

"See? Stubborn." Lauren shrugged. "So tell me, where are you going to put that espresso machine huh?"

"Right in the center of the kitchen counter. Boom!" Vex looked at Bo. "So you also like coffee? Do you buy the beans and have it grinded at the store? Because if you were doing that, I suggest that when you buy coffee tell them to mix 50% Arabica and 50% Robusta. That mix has more flavor and less acidity."

"My grandfather and I shared the love of coffee at home. My two other housemates do not share that craving although they wanted their coffee in the morning. Our coffee at home was actually that, your mix. He said a friend of his suggested that."

"Your grandfather's friend is a wise man. But have you ever tasted other coffee varieties such as Liberica and Excelsa?" Bo shook her head. "Yeah well, they are less popular than Arabica and Robusta. But they are delicious. Most coffee crops that produce these kind of varieties were grown in Asia. Have you heard about Kopi Luwak?"

Bo nodded. "Yes I heard about it. They said it's the most expensive coffee in the world. Have you tasted a cup? I read the reviews and they said it is expensive because it's rare and not because it has superior flavor."

"Yeah well I agree. Vex here bought a pound of Kopi Luwak. At first we were excited to taste it because he bought it $ 100.00 a pound but we were so disappointed. It tasted bland. Vex and I just swallowed it but Ciara can't take the flavor and she vomited all over the sink." Lauren laughed. "We haven't touched the bag of that coffee until now. Maybe if Dyson and Ryan visit us, we can serve them Kopi Luwak. What do you think Vex?"

"That's naughty Lauren. You're going to prank them? No, I don't think so. Ciara already told Dyson about it. She tells Dyson everything now. No secrets between friends, that's what happening since they officially became a couple." Vex lamented.

"Well we won't tell Ciara. Don't worry, leave it to me. And hey are you jealous?" Lauren wiggled her eyebrows.

"What? No, of course not. Why will I be jealous? Ciara is not my type." Vex scowled.

Lauren turned to Bo. "When we first arrived here in New Haven and in Yale we met Ciara. Ciara and I were in the same residential college while Vex was in another college next to us. Ciara told me that she liked Vex. But when I showed her a picture of me, Vex, Dyson and Ryan, Ciara liked Dyson more." She looked at Vex. "Weren't you over that yet?"

"Hey, that was 11 years ago and yes I was already over it. And besides I don't really like blondes." Vex frowned.

"Well you say that now. After all the blondes that you have dated in the past." Lauren smirked.

"Ha ha ha, you're funny." He turned to Bo. "What about you Bo, do you have any preference?"

Bo answered, "No preference. But I really like a certain blonde."

Vex smiled. "Really? Is this blonde in our vicinity right now?"

"She's certainly is." Bo looked at Lauren.

"Nice preference Officer Dennis." Vex winked at Bo.

"Are you two done?" Lauren asked, not meeting their eyes. She's obviously not accustomed to Bo's brand of boldness right that very moment. She saw how Bo looked at her. It is the look when you became surrounded with someone's eyes in such a way you feel special and beautiful. No one had ever looked at her that way. Till now. Her heart is beating fast. _Just breathe Lauren._ _I need to do this._ She looked at Bo and asked, "So," she cleared her throat, "are you done with the report?"

Bo nodded slowly and bit her lip. "Yeah, I'm finished. Let me print it. Then maybe we can finally eat. I feel a headache is coming and then I will be cranky." She stood up, turned around and waited by the printer. _What's gotten into me? I should not have said that. I should not have looked at her that way. What if she panicked and ran away from here?_

Vex looked at both women. He realized both were struggling to hide whatever they were feeling inside. Insecurities? Yeah, Lauren has lots of it. But Bo? He wanted to know more about her.

Then suddenly Hale came, carrying their food. "I didn't call our orders in. I realized that there's a Dunkin Donuts branch nearby, just 7 minutes from here. I got Mendoza buy the food. I had bribed him with two sandwiches and a large coffee. Here you go." He distributed the food.

"Gimme gimme my coffee. Ahhhhh perfect!" Vex drank his coffee and smiled. "Now I can answer all your questions officers."

"Let us eat first Vex. If we are not going to eat any minute now, Bo won't be the only person who is going to be cranky." Hale smiled.

Lauren turned to Bo and smiled. "Bo, can you please give me the report now so I can read it while I'm eating?"

"What? No. You should eat first then I'll give you the report. When was the last time you ate today?" Bo looked at Lauren.

Lauren thought for a second before answering. She bit her lip. "Lunch. But it was a late lunch, like 1 pm."

"That was 8 hours ago! No, you eat first then you read the report."

"But I can multitask. I do this all the time. Please." Lauren looked at Bo with pleading eyes.

Bo huffed. "Fine. But can you do it after eating your sandwich? Read it while you eat your desserts which consist of…" She looked at Lauren's food. "…two doughnuts and two muffins? Wow! Hey you also like choco butternut?" Her eyes twinkled.

Lauren blushed. "Yeah I love them. I have a sweet tooth obviously."

"That you do. Please eat your sandwich now. You haven't eaten for 8 hours. I'll be cranky now if I were you." Bo told her.

"Okay I will. But ahm, I can only eat one muffin. So the other one is for you." Lauren winked at her.

Bo's jaw dropped but recovered immediately. "Well uhm thank you." She reached out for her turkey sandwich, peeled out the wrapper and took a bite.

Vex and Hale laughed. Vex spoke up, "Hey, you two have officially known each other for only 4 hours and you are already talking about your eating habits? How domestic!" He thought, "How fast the moments between them turned from angsty to flirty. Oh how to be a fly on the wall for these two."

Both women glared at him.

"Well you know I'm already on my 4th cup of coffee. So I'm alive, full of energy and no filter. So Hale, how much for all of these?"

"No big deal Vex. I'll let you pick up the tab next time." Hale winked.

"So the two of you," he pointed to Hale and Bo, "you are going to eat all of these now?" He looked at the food on Bo's table.

Hale answered while munching, "Of course. I'm already on my wrap so it won't be long now. Maybe we can start to interview you."

"Let me read this report real quick then we can have the second part of the interview." Lauren stated. She looked at her watch. "It's already 10 pm. We should be starting soon so we can all go home."

Both officers nodded their agreement.

Hale wiped his mouth and stood from his desk. He sat in front of Lauren and Vex. "As we have told you earlier and I will reiterate once again, thank you for being here and helping us on this case. Dr. Lewis, Mr. Tate we will use a recorder for this interview."

Lauren and Vex nodded. "We understood Officer Santiago." Lauren said. She turned to Bo. "Officer Dennis, I already read the report you've written. I found it accurate so I'm going to sign it now. Do you have a pen that I can use?"

"What? Have you already read all of it?" Bo smiled at her.

"She's a speed reader with 100% comprehension." Vex answered while munching the last morsel of his sandwich.

"Vex, I told you repeatedly that it's a disgusting habit to speak while you're eating." Lauren chastised him. "I'm sorry. He's like a child sometimes," she told the police officers. "And yes, I already finished reading it. It's a skill I acquired when I'm in primary school."

"Hey, it's a nifty skill to have. I wish all of our witnesses were speed readers. It will save time in waiting for them to finish reading our reports." Bo sighed.

"Sorry mom!" Vex smiled at Lauren. "Okay, I'm finished. Please, we can start the second part of the interview."

Hale turned on the recorder.

"I am Police Officer Hale Santiago. With me is my partner Police Officer Ysabeau Dennis. We are in District 9 Station of the New Haven Police Department. It's September 15, 2006 at 10:05 PM. Sir, can you state your full name, home address and occupation."

"I am Vaughn Exequiel Tate. I live in 96 Marvel Road New Haven CT and I am businessman."

"How do you spell your name?"

"V-A-U-G-H-N E-X-E-Q-U-I-E-L T-A-T-E"

"Thank you. Can you tell us your relationship with Dr. Lauren Lewis?"

"Dr. Lauren Lewis is my bestfriend and we live on the same house."

"Please state the reason why you went to the Dr. Nadia Woods' house."

"I came because I am concerned that Dr. Lauren Lewis was not answering her phone. I thought that something has happened to her and someone will call us and say that her body was found in a ditch."

Lauren glared at Vex. "You don't have to tell them that. That's ridiculous," she whispered.

Vex whispered back, "But that's the truth. I don't want to lie."

Hale turned off the recorder. Bo and Hale can't help but laugh at Lauren and Vex. "We appreciate your honesty Vex. Thank you." Bo smiled at him. Lauren rolled her eyes.

"Can I continue my statement now?"

Hale nodded, once again turning on the recorder.

"I am really concerned so I called her phone 8 times. I waited for 5 minutes so I can call her again when I heard my phone rang. She was calling me. I answered my phone and said she's okay but she's…" He looked at Lauren "… in her car and waiting outside a house. It's a little vague for me so I told her to give me the address so I can personally check what's going on."

"Where were you when you received the call from Dr. Lewis?"

"I was at home waiting for her." His tone made Lauren looked at him very closely. There's something going on. She'll talk to him later.

"So you ask for the address from her and she gave it to you."

"I insisted. So I went out the house and hailed a taxi. I told the driver the address and said that if he will get me into this address in 5 minutes, I will pay him the meter plus $ 50.00. So he did that and I was there."

"What happened when you got there?"

"I asked Dr. Lewis what happened but you guys went out the house and was dragging a man to the police car."

"What happened next?"

"I got curious and asked Officer Dennis about the man. She told me that he was the suspect of a crime and the victim was Dr. Nadia Woods."

"What was your reaction?"

"I was shocked."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't know that she's the victim and we were outside her house."

"Did you know the victim?"

"Yes. She was a schoolmate way back in college in Yale."

"Are you friends with the victim?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because she's rude and she's a bully."

"She bullied you?"

"No. I was not the one that she bullied." He looked at Lauren, who at that time was looking down at her shoes.

Bo and Hale looked at each other. Hale turned off the recorder. He turned to Lauren, "This is off the record Dr. Lewis. You were bullied by Dr. Woods when you were in Yale?"

Lauren nodded sadly. "She and another friend of hers."

"Don't tell me this friend is the suspect Percy Saunders?" Bo asked her, exasperated.

"Yes, it's him." She saw Bo's face. "Are… are you angry with me?"

"What? No, no of course not. Why would I? If I am angry with anyone right now, it's with Percy Saunders. He's a scum of the earth."

The four of them contemplated this fact when they saw Sergeant Caleb Smith approaching them.

"Dennis, Santiago are you through with the interview?"

"Not yet sir, we're on break right now." Hale answered.

"Okay. Just to inform you, we got a search warrant to search Dr. Woods' house. Mendoza, Torres, McBride and Carson were on it right now. Her attending physician called me a while ago and told me that the victim's injuries were not limited to weals as you have observed Dennis. There were others…" He sighed. "We need to search other weapons that he used on the victim. The doctor told me that she expects the victim to wake up tomorrow so be sure to be there. Make it afternoon okay? I already did an initial interrogation with the suspect. He said he's a lawyer himself so he didn't want a separate individual to act as his lawyer. And he said he was secretly married to Dr. Woods."

"Well that was huge, considering we did not find any identification on him." Bo stated.

"I told Mendoza to search documents that will further identify the suspect's relationship with the victim. If they won't find anything, we'll just go to the County Clerk's office. I already ordered tests to know if he's under the influence of drugs. He underwent the Breathalyzer and no, he's not drunk."

"Sir, if they are secretly married we can't just go to the County Clerk's office and ask to see their marriage license. A confidential marriage license is legally binding, just like a public license but it's not part of the public record. These licenses are not open to public inspection, except for a court order." Bo explained.

"So we also need a court order for that. I should have known. Well, I can call now but if ever we get a court order the marriage license can wait until Monday. Thanks for the heads up Dennis." Bo nodded. "Please continue your interview. I will call for that court order now."

"Whoa, that was one heck of information!" Hale shook his head.

"I also don't like the fact that she has injuries other than what we saw. That's awful." Bo added.

"Can we continue the interview?" Vex asked.

"Wait. Let's discuss this off the record. It was established that Dr. Woods and Mr. Saunders were bullies in college, correct?" Bo asked. "And Dr. Lewis, you were bullied by these two?" Lauren nodded. "We can stop there. I don't think Dr. Lewis should tell us how they bullied her and why. That won't help our case Hale. The mention of bullying actually won't help us either. But it's already mentioned and recorded. Maybe we can talk about the aftermath." She looked at her partner.

"I'm sorry Lauren, I shouldn't have mentioned the bullying part." Vex looked at Lauren, his eyes pleading for forgiveness.

"It's okay Vex. I think we need to mention it to establish the character of Percy Saunders, don't you think officers?" Lauren asked.

"I agree. Dr. Lewis, we need to ask you about what happened after the fact. You told someone about the bullying, correct?" Lauren nodded. "Aside from your friends?" She nodded again. "So we continue the interview with you, Mr. Tate then it is Dr. Lewis' turn."

Hale turned on the recorder.

"Mr. Tate, who did Dr. Woods bully in college?"

"It was Dr. Lauren Lewis.

"Was there someone with her when she did?"

"Yes, there were two of them who did the bullying."

"And who was the other one?"

"His name is Percy Saunders."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes I am sure. Dr. Woods and Mr. Saunders were on the same residential college as Dr. Lewis."

"Officer Dennis, do you have any questions for Mr. Tate?" Bo nodded.

"Mr. Tate, were they the only ones who bullied Dr. Lewis?"

"Yes."

"Did you have any knowledge of other students that Dr. Woods and Mr. Saunders bullied during that time?"

"Yes."

"Can you tell us how many of them were?

"There were five students, excluding Dr. Lewis."

"That's all. Thank you very much for your help, Mr. Tate."

Hale turned the recorder off.

Vex blew a breath. "Well that was surreal. I've never thought that I will undergo something like this."

"You did well Mr. Tate." Bo smiled.

"Considering my big mouth and all." He sighed.

"Do not beat up yourself Vaughn. It happened 11 years ago." Lauren reached out and tapped his arm.

Hale turned to Lauren and said, "It's your turn Dr. Lewis." He turned on the recorder.

"State your full name, address and occupation."

"I am Lauren Lewis. I live in 96 Marvel Road New Haven CT. I'm a medical resident at Yale New Haven Hospital."

"How do you spell your name?"

L-A-U-R-E-N L-E-W-I-S

"From Mr. Tate's interview, he mentioned that Dr. Nadia Woods and Mr. Percy Saunders bullied you when you were still in college. Is that a fact?"

"Yes that is true."

"When was this?"

"It was the year 1995."

"How many times did they bully you?"

"I didn't count."

"Shit." Bo commented. _Oh my God. I'll kill Percy Saunders with my bare hands._ Bo scowled while tapping her fingers on her desk. Vex saw her and looked into her eyes. He saw anger that she's trying hard to quell. _This woman has a fiery temper. Lauren will be ready for her._ He thought.

Bo saw him looking at her. She smiled. _It looks like he's looking into me and he understands. He's been Lauren's protector all his life. I need him to be on my team. I need him to be my ally._ She nodded at him. He winked.

Hale continued, "Did you tell anyone about this incident other than your friends?"

"Yes. I took it up with the first-year counselor and he acted swiftly. I was called in the office of the head of the college together with my friends and the bullies."

"What was the action taken by the head of the college?"

"Mr. Percy Saunders was expelled from Yale and Dr. Nadia Woods was given a reprimand for her actions."

"Why was Mr. Saunders expelled while Dr. Woods was just reprimanded?"

"Mr. Saunders was already a third year student that time. And it was not the first time he bullied a freshman. Dr. Woods that time was just a freshman like me."

"Officer Dennis, do you have any question for Dr. Lewis?"

Bo nodded. "Dr. Lewis, how did you know that Mr. Saunders and Dr. Woods were friends? I mean, he's already a third year student and she's only a freshman."

"They were always together. All the activities inside our college, they were always together. Except when it's time to sleep of course. The rooms for boys were separate from the rooms for girls."

"When they were together, were they friendly to each other? Did you observe any kind of tension? Like Dr. Woods was just forced to be with Mr. Saunders?"

"No I didn't see any of that. And to answer your first question, they were friendly to each other. It was not forced."

"Okay, that's all I think. Officer Santiago?"

Hale shook his head. "No, I think that's all. Once again Dr. Lewis, thank you very much for your help." He turned off the recorder.

"I can't still wrap my head on the fact that they were secretly married." Lauren said.

"Well he can lie about that." Vex shrugged.

"I don't think so. He won't lie about that because if he will think hard, in admitting that they were secretly married his case would be more complicated. Once Sergeant Smith gets the court order to open their marriage license to public, his case will be upped to domestic violence. Am I correct?" Lauren looked at Bo and Hale.

Bo nodded. "And besides, he said he's a lawyer. He would know the consequences."

"That's another thing. He was expelled from Yale but he still became a lawyer. What school would accept an expelled student?" Hale asked.

"All I know was that his family is influential this side of America. Maybe that's the reason why he was accepted by another school." Vex stated.

"Really? I didn't know that. How influential?" Lauren frowned.

"His family practically owned the state of Delaware when we were still in Yale. But now, I don't know. So Bo and Hale, maybe you need to inform Sergeant Smith about that." Vex advised.

"How the heck will they own a state?" Hale asked.

"Business holdings primarily. They own a lot of businesses and as a result, they can control the economy of the entire state." Vex sighed.

"There's one thing I am sure of. If he's really a lawyer, he will be disbarred once he's proven guilty of his crimes. He can no longer practice law." Bo stated.

"This will be huge partner." Hale looked at Bo. "Sergeant Smith said this will be our case from now on."

"What? Is he serious? We just barely made it in our second year as police officers. Surely, he can give it to more senior ones."

Sergeant Smith approached them. "Dennis, I gave this case to you and Santiago because you two started it. We will have all the resources that you need in order to bring this case into a satisfying end. Rest assured that my support will be unwavering for the both of you. You two has a good record so that's another factor to consider. You need to take on bigger cases like this."

"Thank you sir. But we need to inform you about something Mr. Tate told us about the family of the suspect." Bo stated.

"What is it? Care to share Mr. Tate?"

"Sir, this information was actually known to me 11 years ago. I am not sure if this is still the present situation but the family of Percy Saunders had lots of businesses in Delaware. They practically owned the state in those times. I am thinking if it's still their current status, they may come to rescue their family member in any way they can, as far their influence can reach." Vex stated.

"That's interesting. Well, it is a good information that I can't ignore. Thank you for telling us. I will look into it. But as of now, let's focus on the more tangible aspects of the case. But don't worry, I will take this up to my superior. I also would like to personally thank you and Dr. Lewis for assisting us, especially Officers Dennis and Santiago, on this case." He shook hands with Lauren and Vex. "I'll go ahead and call Lieutenant Jenkins regarding the Saunders family. Excuse me."

"Wow, I've never imagined that a 911 call will turn into a big case." Bo sighed.

"I agree." Hale said.

"So officers, if you need our help just give us a call. Wait, I have a couple of calling cards here. I'll just write my personal phone number at the back. How about yours Lo?" Vex looked at Lauren.

"Oh just write my phone number together with yours at the back."

"Alright. Let me get my phone, I don't remember..."

"I thought you already memorized it. Well let me write it down." She scribbled her number under Vex' personal number. "There."

Vex gave the cards to the officers and smiled. "So..." he looked down at his watch, "whoa it's already 11:30 PM. Time flies by when you are enjoying it."

"You enjoyed it?" Hale laughed.

"Well it's a different kind of experience but I really enjoyed your company officers. I mean, what happened to Nadia was sad and awful but I thought what we went through this evening was sort of a unique moment for the four of us that I know we won't forget for the next few months or so right?" They all laughed. "And I hope that Lauren and I gained a couple of new friends, Bo and Hale? If that's okay with you guys?"

"No problem at all Vex. We like that, right Bo?" Hale looked at Bo.

"Of course." She smiled. "Let us accompany the two of you to the car."

The four went out of the station and walked to where Lauren's car was parked.

 _Well, this is it. What would I tell her? Goodbye? See you around? Are you dating someone right now? Shit, I'm confused._ Bo frowned while walking through the parking lot.

They stopped in front of the car.

"Bo, Hale we should be going now. I know that you will still work on the case after this so see you around guys." Vex shook hands with Hale and clapped his right shoulder. "See you Vex, I'll take you up on your promise." Vex nodded and smiled. He turned to Bo and she was utterly shocked when Vex kissed her cheek. He took advantage of this and leaned to her ear and whispered, "I'm counting on you Officer Dennis." He leaned back and winked.

Lauren was not surprised with her friend's action and she remembered the first time when she met Bo and Hale. She knew how to do this. She first went to Hale and hugged him. "Thank you Hale and see you around okay?" "Alright Lauren, see you." Hale hugged back and smiled. Then she stood in front of Bo. She smirked and told her, "I know that I didn't say goodbye properly the last time we saw each other but now, I'll take this chance to change that." She invaded Bo's personal space, hugged her tightly and whispered, "See you around Bo. Take care." The shock Bo felt left her rooted to where she stood. She can't move, she can't even speak. Before Bo can hug her back, Lauren was already gone.

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 **Author's Note: Please read and review. Thank you.**


	4. Chapter 4 - Fall 2006

**Author's Note:** **I felt bad when I didn't update yesterday. So here it is. Hope you like it.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Lost Girl and the characters. I just used them for my story.**

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 **Chapter Four**

 **New Haven Police Department**

 **District 9 East Shore**

 **New Haven, CT**

Bo stood at the parking lot looking at the back of the Audi. She did it again. She didn't say goodbye to her last time because she just pedaled away and left them. Now, she had all the time in the world to say a proper goodbye or the clichéd 'See you around' statement but no, she just frozen up. She kicked an invisible pebble and cursed, frustrated at herself. "Shit, shit, shit I fucked up." She growled. She turned around when she heard Hale laughing.

"Why are you laughing? Something funny?" She huffed.

"She broke you partner. You didn't say a word, you didn't move an inch. What happened?" He grinned.

"Vex happened. I was so shocked when he kissed me."

"Really, that's your reason? Hey Bo, it's me Hale your partner and I know you. You had a chance to recover after Vex kissed you. Just admit that you didn't know what to do when she stood in front of you."

"Yeah you're right. I was actually thinking what to say to her when she stood in front me and hugged me. I fucked up."

"No you did not. You may not bid her a proper goodbye or hugged her back but all throughout this evening, you protected her." Bo tried to protest at his words. "I heard it, I saw it and I read between the lines. And she knew it. Or Vex knew it." He looked at his phone and texted. He retrieved Vex' card and looked at the back. "There, you owe me."

"Why do I owe you? And who were you texting with?"

"I never had a chance to answer one of Vex' questions earlier so I texted my answer to him. You'll thank me later for this. Or maybe I can be your best man at your wedding." He smirked.

"Ha ha ha you're funny Hale. Wedding? You're insane."

"I'll have you remember this moment Bo. Wait, my phone has an incoming text." He smiled. All is well in the world." He saw Bo's frown. "Don't worry partner, I already had the answer to your most important question. Do you want to know what it is?"

"Okay Hale, I'll humor you. What is it? Spill it now or else…"

"You don't have to threaten me Bo." He paused dramatically. "Lauren is not dating anyone." He looked at his partner's face. "You're welcome."

"Really? Was that you and Vex were texting about?"

"No. That 'Lauren is not dating anyone' thing, Vex already told me earlier.

"When was this? I was there all the time but I never heard Vex told you anything of that kind."

"That's not true. You were not with us when I lead them to the interrogation room. But that's not when he told me about it. Na-ah."

Bo remembered the moment when Vex and Hale were talking through their eyes. "Okay, no I got it. It was when Ryan's name got in the picture right?" Hale nodded. "Yeah I got it. Thank you Hale."

"So what are your plans?"

"Plans? For what?"

"For that 'Lauren is not dating anyone' thing?"

"I think that it could wait." Hale frowned. "Yes, it could. Remember Lauren is our main witness. Our main purpose now is to protect her. If ever what Vex told us about Saunders' family is true and will use it to jeopardize our case, we need to protect them first. Both of them. I can't prioritize my personal life over this Hale. We do this then we can talk about that. And besides we can be friends for now. I can do that."

"You're right. We need to work on this case first. But hey, there's an upside on this situation. Now you have a plausible excuse to see her or to talk to her." Hale's eyes lighted up. "I have an idea. Text her and ask her to text you back as soon as they get home, you know for security reasons. You'll have plus points there."

"Wow, your Ivy League education came through this time." Bo teased. "What a brilliant idea!" She took out her phone from her pocket and started texting.

 **Hi Lauren, this is Bo. Can you do me a favor please? Text me as soon as you and Vex got home. Thank you.**

Her thumb was hovering above the Send button. "Okay Bo, this is it," she muttered to herself. She hit Send.

"That's not hard, isn't it? Texting is fun." Hale smiled.

"Yeah right." She rolled eyes. "We better get back inside so we could start the paperwork for the case. It's already past midnight. I think this case will be all over the news in the morning. Remember, the victim is a doctor in Yale Hospital and the suspect is a lawyer. This can be a high profile case. And we need to go to the hospital later. We also need to reach out to Dr. Woods' other colleagues and their department head. We need a plan."

"A plan? "

"Yes, a plan. This is not our usual 'discover a crime-catch the suspect-do the paperwork' kind of case. Like now, as soon as we are inside what are the first things we need to do? First, we write the report of our interview with our witnesses. Second, are we going to conduct the second part of the interrogation? We only have 24 hours to hold the suspect in detention unless we can get a court order to hold him longer. Third, how are we going to do the interviews later? If the victim is awake, we need to talk to her. We also need to talk to her attending physician. And so on and on. There are so many things to do."

"I hear you partner. Let's go. We should talk to Sergeant Smith about our concerns."

"Before we do that, let's talk about how you hugged her back." She crossed her arms on her chest.

"What?! Are we going to discuss that now?"

"Uhuh."

"I hugged her back because she hugged me first Bo. What should I do, froze up like you?" He teased.

"Oh shut up."

"Are you jealous?"

"No, of course not."

"But your face says otherwise. It's just a hug between friends."

"Oh sure, but you have that look in your face."

"I do not. Lauren is just dreamy, she's wonderful to look at."

"So I thought you don't like blondes."

"Yeah I do not. It's not a matter of preferences Bo. It's just a little crush. Nothing more."

"Be sure of that partner. Or else, I'll tell Kenzi." She smiled smugly.

"As if she cares. Lately, she's all Nate this, Nate that." Hale frowned.

"Oh I didn't know Hale. I wished you told me sooner." She saw her partner's sad face. "Okay, alright you can crush a little on Lauren. But that's it. Nothing but a little crush. Or I'll end you."

"Whoa, I'm your partner Bo! Promise it's just a teeny weeny crush, just like this." Hale pointed at the little space between his thumb and forefinger. And then he smirked. "You got it bad woman!"

Bo scowled. "Let's go inside."

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"Lo, what you did was awesome! You broke her." Vex laughed.

"Well that's not my intention. I just want to have a proper goodbye."

"Is that a proper goodbye? You didn't give her a chance to hug you back."

"Vex I think what I did was for the best. If I had given her a chance to hug me back, I don't know if I want to stop it. Or maybe I'll do something more extreme."

"Like kissing her?"

Lauren blushed. "Maybe. My emotions were scattered when I realized that we're going home. I was nervous but at the same time, I like to be devious. I was happy but then I was sad. I just found her and I got to know her better but it was time to say goodbye."

"Lo, it's not a goodbye. You can see her now every time you want. Do you realize that you will see her until the case is closed? You are one of their material witnesses and she and Hale handle the case. You will be communicating with her. Haven't you realized that we did not sign any report after the interview? They will write the report and we need to sign them. She has your number. She can text or call you any time she wants."

"Oh. I didn't realize all of that."

"It's okay Lo. You were still processing all of it." His phone buzzed. "Let's see who is texting me. Aha! I know I can count on Hale. He delivered."

"What is it?"

"Bo is single and very much available." He winked.

"Really?"

'Yes, she is. Are you happy now?"

"I am relieved."

"Just relieved?"

"I already processed everything that happened Vex and I realized that we can't be anything unless the case is finished. It's her career on the line. And after that, how sure are we that anything will happen between us?"

"Act on it. I mean Lo, you know that sometimes feelings are fleeting. But it doesn't mean that they are not true. What you felt for her from the first time you saw her may be love. And it endured for how many months even though you didn't see her at all. So when a feeling like love is true and enduring, then it could be epic. But in order for it to be those three, then you should not just sit there and let destiny do its work for you. I don't personally believe in destiny. But some people do. What I believe in is that for you to be successful and happy, you should do it yourself. As I said, act on it. Like you Lo, some people may say you are destined to be a doctor. Okay I get that. But in order for you to be a doctor, you studied hard. You made it happen. You did your share of work on your destiny. I think it's the same when it comes to your love life."

"Thank you Vaughn." Lauren touched Vex' cheek. "That's beautiful. But it's too early to tell if this is really love or just infatuation."

"I know, I know. That's why I'm telling you to act on it. It may be love or infatuation but you felt it. There's nothing wrong with that. I know you're scared because before all of this, she's just a ghost." He saw Lauren cringed. "I know, not a pleasant comparison. But now reality is setting in." Vex smiled. "But I'm serious Lo. Me thinks she will be busy on the case but you will see each other. You can be friends for now. It won't hurt to be friends with her right?" He smiled at her.

"It's okay. My residency can also be a hindrance for now." She smiled sadly.

"Cheer up. We can't know what the future may bring. But promise me something."

"What is it?"

"I will call first dibs to be the godfather of your first child with Bo."

"What?! What are you talking about?"

"Just promise me Lo."

"Okay Vex, whatever. It's just ridiculous." Lauren laughed. "Hey tell me, what's with the kiss on her cheek?" She raised her eyebrow.

"Just a kiss between future in-laws." He laughed wickedly. "It's a ruse. I need her to be appalled because I need to invade her personal space. If I didn't do that, she may have punched me."

"A ruse to invade her personal space? Why?"

"Because I need to tell her something to keep her on her toes. Or maybe I just want to kiss her." He smirked.

Lauren looked at Vex. She sighed. "Okay."

"Okay? Really? I kissed her and that's your reaction?"

"Well, what do you want me to say? It's okay Vex. I'm not petty." She smiled. "Or maybe because I'm just tired and sleepy."

"Oh no no no! You won't sleep on me. I'm widely awake and we are going to watch Grey's Anatomy!" He whined.

"Uh Grey's Anatomy? What's with your obsession with that TV series?"

"Three words Lo – Doctor Izzie Stevens." He winked.

"I thought you didn't like blondes." She laughed. "I actually prefer House over Grey's Anatomy but yeah, I could watch it with you. I watch it for the science."

"It's always science for you. But hey, I also watch House with you. I watched it because of Dr. Allison Cameron. So we're near…" he heard a text message alert and looked at his phone "… I think it's your phone."

Lauren opened her phone and read the message. "Oh, it's Bo."

Vex smiled and asked eagerly, "What did her message say?"

"She wanted me to text her as soon as we got home."

"How thoughtful." He gushed. _And she listened. Very good, Officer Dennis._ He parked the car and got out. "It looks like Ciara is still awake." The house's lights were all off except the ones in the living room.

The house they were living in was a huge one – four floors with a basement. The living room, dining room and kitchen were all in the main floor. The second floor belongs to Lauren – her room, her office alongside a makeshift laboratory, her library, her walk-in closet and her own bathroom. The third belongs to Vex and the fourth, also known as the attic, belongs to Ciara. The basement was empty, save for some furniture that were stacked in the corner.

The three of them were renting this house since 1999, the year when they graduated from their college degrees. They left their respective residential colleges and searched for a suitable house. They found this advertised as a colonial house in the Westville side of the city. The owner initially wanted them to buy the house but they told him that they were just fresh graduates and they didn't have the money to buy it. After a few meetings, he reluctantly had them rent the house. The agreement was that they will have to pay half-a-year deposit plus half-a-year advance. They also had the option to buy the house after 10 years. The three thought it was a win-win situation since the house is huge and it was only 12 minutes away from Yale New Haven Hospital.

The two entered the house and saw their housemate waiting in the living room, worry etched on her face.

"There you are. I'm so worried for the two of you, especially for you Lauren. I didn't expect that you will be involved with police matters. What happened? Dyson has been calling me all night. Ryan too."

"I already talked to them Ci. Initially, Ryan wanted to cancel his flight from New York to come here but I stopped him." Lauren told Ciara.

"Really? That man was stubborn, wasn't he? He can't resist doing things for you when you already told him many times that you can't reciprocate his feelings for you. Such a martyr." Ciara rolled her eyes.

"Not just a martyr, but a masochist. He had been acting like a jilted boyfriend every time he learned that Lauren was dating in the past. Dyson and I already gave him an earful about it." Vex relayed. "He just can't let it go. He said he will wait for Lauren to wake up and realize that she loves him too. What an insufferable bastard!"

"Did you already talk to him about it? As in seriously talked to him?" Ciara looked at Lauren.

"Ci, I already had 'the talk' with him. Dyson, Vex and I tried so many times. We thought that if I talk to him alone and have that heart-to-heart talk that he would just give up. But he was so stubborn. So now, I just let him be." Lauren sighed. "I got tired of telling him off and I hate that I pitied him sometimes. I told him that I love him but only as a friend and a brother, nothing more." She cupped her face and crossed her legs. "Uh can we talk about something else?"

"Yes, we can." Vex smiled wickedly.

Lauren glared at Vex. Ciara saw it and asked, "What's that all about? And before I forgot, what happened tonight? I need to know the details."

"Well since I started it all, let me tell you what happened from the time I was called in our department head's office up to Vex' call." Lauren told all the details, leaving out the identities of the police officers who responded to her call. Vex tried interrupting Lauren's narrative but was unable to do so he just shut up his mouth.

"Wait, so this is all about Nadia?" Ciara asked.

"Unfortunately, yes. She was abused by her supposedly secret husband." Vex answered.

"Okay, so what happened? I mean, where had you been? It's already midnight. What happened after Vex' call?"

"It's my time to tell you what I knew." He seamlessly continued Lauren's narrative. When he mentioned Percy Saunders' name, Ciara interrupted.

"Wait, wait! Please don't tell me Percy Saunders is Nadia's secret husband and he's the suspect?"

"You got them right Ci!"

"I so hate that man! So Nadia is in the hospital right now? Was it bad?" Ciara asked.

"I saw her before she was loaded in the ambulance. It was really bad. She had welts all over face and arms. Her clothes were torn and bloody. And she was unconscious." Lauren said.

"Oh my God, that's terrible."

"And as a doctor I couldn't stop but to assess her condition. I really wanted to check her thoroughly but Bo stopped me from doing it. She said that I need to turn it off and just be what I needed to be that time." Lauren told Ciara.

"Well that's a good advice. Since you were the main witness, you can't just touch the victim as you please. Good thing Bo stopped you." Ciara nodded. "Wait, who's Bo?"

"Ci, let me continue my story. You will know who Bo is."

"Okay Vex, please continue."

He continued where he left off. But this time, he didn't leave out any details. Lauren rolled her eyes.

"What? The Bo that you mentioned was the Officer Dennis that you were pining for?" Ciara was shocked. "So how was it? What happened when you saw her? Hey, you left out those details in your story. You're bad."

"No, I just want to concentrate about the details of the case. I consciously left out the identities of the police officers." She crossed her arms across her chest. "How was it? I was shocked at first. She had the same reaction. I shook her hands and I looked at her eyes, those dark brown eyes. I was momentarily lost in them. And when she smiled and her dimples showed, she completely took me over. She was suddenly shy and looked down. When she realized that she's still holding my hands, she laughed a little and looked at me. She really looked at me and I saw that she was excited and happy to see me. What I couldn't forget was the tenderness on those eyes and it was simply breathless to see someone look at me like that." She can't help but smile when she remembered that moment.

"Wow! That's amazing Lo. The look in your face just now was priceless. You are totally smitten." Vex grinned.

Ciara just looked at Lauren like she's an alien. "Who are you and what did you do to Lauren?" She smiled. "I can't believe I heard that from you. Was she really a babe?"

"Totally! She's beautiful and hot. When I saw her coming out of the house, it was like seeing a pin up girl emerging from a box. Even though she was on her uniforms, you can see the curves." Vex answered.

Lauren raised her eyebrows and put her hands on her hips. "Uhm Vex, do I need to know something? You are totally perving on her just now."

"No, no I'm just describing her. Don't tell me you didn't see that? If you will say you didn't, I'll tell you now that you're a terrible liar. I saw you checking her out."

Lauren put up her hands. "Okay I saw that." She looked at Ciara. "She's really beautiful and I loved her smile. And besides that, she was very kind and thoughtful." She remembered Bo's text. "Oh shit, I forgot to reply on her text." She searched for her phone and typed in her reply.

 **Hi Bo. We just got home 20 minutes ago. Sorry for not replying sooner. Ciara was really worried when we got here and demanded that we tell her what happened right away. Thank you and please be careful on your way home later. Good morning!**

She smiled and hit Send. "Oh and her partner Hale was also kind. He's very friendly. I like him. And I saw that he and Bo were not just partners but were good friends."

"Yeah I agree. He's not dense and he's fun to be with." Vex nodded. "He's a cool guy."

"I can see that you enjoyed the night and the company of these fine police officers, of course except the Nadia and Percy side of the whole situation, but really how will this affect the two of you?" Ciara asked. "I mean, do we have to tell Dyson and Ryan that we need them here? Have you realized its enormity? Once this case comes out, it will be all over the news. There's a possibility that your names will be dragged with this mess."

"Yeah we are aware of how big this case can be. And I trust the police will protect our identities, for now of course. And the fact that Nadia was still unconscious, Lauren and I were the only ones that identified Percy Saunders."

"We should also consider what you told the police about Percy's family, Vex." Lauren reiterated.

"And what is that?" Ciara asked.

"Oh that the Saunders' family owned the state of Delaware. Well, that's what I knew 11 years ago."

"How's that possible?"

"I'll tell you the same thing I told Hale – business holdings. Their family owned a lot of businesses in the state. But that's 11 years ago. I don't know if it's still the case until now."

Ciara looked at Vex. "I think you should know, you're a businessman for Christ's sake. I know you have networks around the states. Maybe you can check with your fellow businessmen."

"Unfortunately my network can only reach the state of California. I may stretch the limits to Nevada, Arizona or Utah but not as far as Delaware. And if I have a network that can reach that far, I may need to do some favors for them. As of now, I don't want to risk it. I think we need to refer to the police for that information. I trust Bo and Hale to do their jobs."

"I agree with Vex, Ci. I know that if we are going through that route, Dyson and Ryan will be dragged into this." Lauren said. "We need to wait. If their family will retaliate due to Percy's arrest, then that's the time we talk with the police and see what we can do. As long as my name and Vex' name weren't divulged to the public, we are not to drag anyone into this case. I told Dyson not to tell Dad. I don't want them to know."

"Did you tell Ryan the same thing? You know how he is." Vex asked.

"I already texted him. And he said okay."

"He's saying that now, but we won't know in the near future. Ryan has the tendency to insert himself into someone else's problem. And he's kind of tactless. He can't zip his mouth shut." Vex told them.

"Don't worry, I'll call Dyson later and I'll tell him to talk to Ryan about this." Ciara said.

"Thank you Ci." Lauren smiled at her. "So what are we going to do now?" She looked at Vex. "Are we still going to watch your favorite TV series?"

Vex rolled his eyes. "Yes I need this. After we've gone through this evening and the coffee was still in my system, I'm still awake. And I need to put my mind into other things."

"Okay, you know I can't refuse you anything now." Lauren laughed a little. She turned to Ciara and asked, "What about you?"

"I think I need to end my day now. I had spent my night worrying about the two of you so I need to decompress. Whenever the two of you spend time outside of this house, it always lead to trouble. Your middle names should have been 'Trouble'." She shook her head. "See you in the morning, 'Trouble's."

"What, that's not true! It's just Lauren. I was there to save her from herself." Vex whined. When he saw Ciara trudging up the stairs to her floor, he whispered to Lauren, "Well it's about time. I don't want to watch Grey's with her because she's always tell me what was wrong with every scene. I just want it to be nice and quiet."

"You know I also want to do that but I don't want to spoil your Grey's addiction and because you always join me when I watch House so it's just fair."

"Oh I thought it's because you love me." He frowned.

"You're like a child sometimes." She lovingly messed up his hair. "Wait, before we proceed, can I do my night rituals and change clothes? It's a little bit uncomfortable now since I had worn this since this morning."

"Go on. I'm just going to suggest that. I'll also change clothes."

After ten minutes, Lauren was walking down the stairs when she saw what Vex had worn. She can't help but laugh at his pajama set. "Really, black silk with pink hearts? Where did you find that?"

He laughed. "You just have to know the funky websites to shop. I bought them online and then I had them delivered here." He winked.

"Them? How many of those did you buy?"

"Just enough to quell my curiosity. You want? I'll you show you their website." He looked up and down at Lauren's pajama set. "Yours is cute. A light pink shirt with a big cat in the center then a light blue jammies with pink cats everywhere, nice."

"It's like we didn't grow old."

"You didn't grow old. Your pajama sets were always like that, with animals. You just changed the sizes but not the designs. Unlike me, I hadn't worn any boring pajama set ever since we moved here. It's because I bought them and not my mother. Thank God for that." He turned to Lauren. "Do you want anything to drink? I'll fix myself a gin and tonic."

Lauren sighed. "Yeah I want some wine. It will help me with sleep and maybe numb my brain." She sat at the couch in front of the newly bought LCD television. She turned it on and saw that they have Netflix. "We already have Netflix? When did you subscribe?"

"It came with the television. I specifically indicated that I wanted a TV LCD unit with a subscription to Netflix. It's a necessity for me. After checking in with all my business managers, I don't have anything to do. And I think that Netflix is the future. Count on it." Vex handed her a chilled bottle of red wine and a glass. He went back to the kitchen to fetch his bottle of gin, tonic water and lime juice. He also brought a bucket of ice and wedges of lime.

Lauren saw all of these and asked, "Are we going to get drunk?" She laughed.

"Of course not. I just don't want to be disturbed going back to the kitchen if we need more while watching."

"Okay. So what episodes are we going to watch?"

"The last 4 episodes of Season 2."

"Uh, why? We already watched those episodes."

"It's because the Season 3 Premiere will be on the 21st and I want to refresh my memory."

"If you want, I'll just tell you every detail."

Vex raised his eyebrows. "Showoff. Even the sex scenes?"

Lauren blushed. "Of course not. Let's just watch."

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 **District 9 East Shore**

Bo and Hale went inside the station and were met by Sergeant Smith. "Dennis, Santiago before you proceed on doing the necessary paperwork, I would like to sit down with you and talk about the case. I talked to Lieutenant Jenkins on how we proceed on building a case against the suspect. Both of you will do all the interviews of all the witnesses, as well of the victim. You've already done that with Dr. Lewis and Mr. Tate. But if you need to question them further, you can also do that since the two of them are very important to this case especially Dr. Lewis. I also told Lt. Jenkins about what Mr. Tate told us regarding Mr. Saunders' family and he said he will get back to me."

"Sir, how about the interrogation of the suspect?" Bo asked.

"I already did the first part. The paperwork was already done. We are still waiting for the results of the fingerprints from forensics on the whip found in the basement. I don't know how long will it take but I put a rush on it. The thorough search done by Mendoza, Torres, McBride and Carson produced a cache of weapons – knives, leather crops, blow torch, five different kinds of thin sticks made of wood and plastic and lots of thick transparent plastic bags. They also found different kinds of guns and ammunitions. We need to know if the guns have licenses. There's a lot of work to do so we need back up and support. Lt. Jenkins in turn will speak with the chief later for a briefing of this case."

Both officers nodded.

"Now, one of initial challenges would be keeping the suspect in our custody. We just have 24 hours and we know the forensics can't be rushed. The victim was still unconscious. There's a possibility that tomorrow night, he will be free." He shook his head and sighed. "Nonetheless, both of you should go to the hospital later to interview the victim's boss and her co-workers. You also need to interview her attending physician to know the extent of her injuries. That's all for now. I'll let you go. After the paperwork, please go home and rest. Sunday will be your off day, as long as you are not needed. I think we all need that off because I bet that starting Monday, we won't be getting any decent sleep. Good luck to the both of you."

"Thank you Sir." Hale said.

They went back to their respective desks and started transcribing. Both did not succumb to idle chit chat, the need of silence is inevitable. It's already 1:00 in the morning and both knew that they badly need to finish the paperwork so they could go home and have a decent sleep. Fatigue and somnolence were starting to creep into their body.

A text message alert intruded into the stillness of the early morning vibe in the station.

"Whose phone was that?" Bo asked.

"I think it's yours." Hale pointed out. He saw the light on Bo's phone.

Bo opened her phone and smiled while reading the message. "It's Lauren. They got home 20 minutes ago." She looked up at Hale. "Looked like Ciara was waiting for them and demanded an explanation why they went home at this ungodly hour."

"Good for them. I, for once, is really looking forward on hugging my bed this very minute. I hadn't been awake this long since last year's raid in that infamous warehouse in the wharf." He sighed. "Are you done? Just going to print this one and off we go."

"I'm finished with mine and already printed. I just need to think about my reply to Lauren. I can't think straight. I'm so sleepy."

"Hey, we'll be off in a minute or so. Wait, did you bring your car or your bike for work?" Hale asked.

"Oh my car was still in Firestone's so I brought my bike."

"Leave your bike and I'll drive you home. You can't ride your bike if you are that sleepy."

"No, it's okay Hale." She saw Hale's face. "Okay fine. Thank you. What about you?"

"I'm not that sleepy, although I just want to lie down and rest. I drank what's left with Vex's coffee that's why I'm still a little bit perky."

"Obviously, you offered to drive me home." Bo laughed. "Now, what will I tell her?" She hesitantly typed her reply and hit Send.

'What did you say?"

"Just a simple thanks and greeted her a good morning."

"Okay. Let's go." They went out to the parking lot and searched for Hale's Ford Fusion. They got in and he started the car.

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 **Westville New Haven**

"This TV series really has the tendency to ruin your idea of good relationships. My brain was fuzzy because of the wine and now, because of the tangled love affairs." Lauren lamented.

"As if House has no relationship issues or whatsoever." Vex said.

"Yes but not as blunt as Grey's." She searched for her phone. "Vex, uh where's my phone?"

"There in your hands silly. Are you drunk?" Vex looked at the bottle of wine. "Oh my God, you finished the wine off. Are you okay?"

"I'm okay. Just a little bit light headed and fuzzy but I can still understand what we're watching."

"I loved these episodes, there's a lot of Izzie Stevens. Poor Denny."

"Shit. She texted an hour and half ago and I didn't see it." Lauren tapped her forehead.

"Who?"

"Bo. She said thank you and good morning. Hmmm, maybe she's already asleep." She thought for a while and smiled. She typed furiously and hit Send.

"What are you doing? Are you drunk-texting Bo?" Vex asked.

"I just typed in some words. They were very harmless, don't worry. And no, I'm not drunk. How dare you insinuate that I am." She dramatically slaps her chest.

Vex laughed. "You are so gonna regret this tomorrow Lo." He shook his head. "Hey, let's sleep this off. You already finished the bottle."

"But there are still two episodes that we need to watch." She whined.

"We'll just catch up tomorrow okay? It's Sunday."

"Okay. I'm looking forward to watching this TV series full of twisted love affairs." Her words slightly slurred.

"Time to get up. C'mon, let me get you into your room."

"How about our mess? I want to clean them first."

"It's alright Lo. I'll get into it promise. Just let me help you go into your room. You should sleep. You were up early yesterday morning."

"Really? Why?"

"You were always waking up early because you said you wanted us to have a good breakfast." Vex said while helping Lauren climb the stairs.

"Uhuh because breakfast foods are good sources of important nutrients such as calcium, iron and…" She faltered and thought hard to finish her rant. "... B vitamins as well as protein and fiber. The body needs these essential nutrients and research shows that if these are..." Her head lolled to Vex's neck and the rest of her words were muffled. "... missed at breakfast, they are less to be compensated for later in the day."

"Good to know." Vex laughed. "You are heavy we're you're like this Lo. I should have chosen a bottle with much lower alcohol level."

"What did you give me? I didn't notice. I just drank and drank."

"A Zinfandel with 16% alcohol content."

"It's likely that if someone will calculate my blood alcohol content right this very minute, it would be high and I would be considered legally intoxicated in all or most states and..." She cleared her throat. "... would be subjected to criminal penalties."

"Hey, there's an upside on that." He said while opening the door.

"What?"

"Bo will catch you and will likely interrogate you. She will read your Miranda rights and will lock you in a cell by yourself so she could you visit every night." Vex wiggled his eyebrows.

"That's interesting. What are we going to do huh, knit? Read books?" She sat on her bed and put both hands on her face.

"I don't know, maybe some hanky-panky." He smirked and sighed. "Okay, I will go down and get a bottled water. I know you have a pounding headache now. Do you still have Tylenol? You need to drink one so you could sleep well. Wait for me."

She sighed and lay on her bed. She wanted to process all the things that happened the previous day but her headache prevented her to do so. She just wanted to sleep so she could start fresh in the morning. After a while, she heard Vex trudging up the stairs and her door opened.

"Lo, take a Tylenol and drink up. Then go to sleep please. I already cleaned the mess downstairs and I'm also ready to end my day." Vex sat down at the side of the bed and looked down at her.

She sat up and swallowed a Tylenol. "Thank you. We'll talk tomorrow okay. I know you were waiting for me tonight and you want to talk about something right?" She raised her eyebrow when Vex was caught off guard by her statement. "You thought I didn't know huh. I know you very well Vaughn." She placed her hand on his cheek.

"Okay. So go to sleep now. We'll talk when you wake up. Goodnight Lo." He kissed her forehead and stood up.

She lay down when she heard the door clicked. She smiled and searched for her phone. She texted and hit Send. She was already asleep when her phone's screen lit up.

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 **Downtown New Haven**

Hale dropped Bo in front of a quaint bungalow. It was his grandfather's house and was standing next to his bar, The Dal Riata.

She turned around and leaned down at the opened passenger window of Hale's car. "Thank you for the ride Hale and see you later. Drive carefully." She stood up and tapped the hood. She waited until Hale's car turned the corner. She sighed. People were still flocking the bar and the music very loud. She wondered if her grandfather was still awake. She looked down at her watch and decided not to bother her grandfather.

She stood in front of the house's door and punched in the security system PIN. As a police officer, she made sure that the house was installed with a dependable security system. She just can't jeopardize the safety of her family especially that the house was in the middle of Downtown New Haven. Crime rates were still high in this side of the city and she can't ignore that fact.

She went inside the house and tried to navigate the house without the lights. She went straight to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. She retrieved a bottled water and sat down on one of the chairs. She was opening the bottle when she heard someone walking towards her. She turned around and looked at a surprised Kenzi.

"You know that I can hear you breathe Kenz. Why are you still awake? Were you doing some homework? Or you just came from the bar?"

"Hells no! No to doing homework and coming from the bar. I'm just browsing some stuff and hacking some databases for your search! I can show you some tonight if you are still up to it." Kenzi smiled at Bo. "I came down to get a bottled water and some food so I can continue my favorite pastime."

"Okay. But Kenzi, you can now abort your search for me."

"Oh, why? Are you giving up? Yes I know, we already looked on a lot of headshots and I certainly couldn't stand some of the pictures. But I can still hack some databases for you. You know I have a lot free time."

"No Kenz, I'm not giving up. It's just that I already found her."

"What?! How? Why didn't tell me sooner?"

"It is because I just found her." She put up her hands to stop Kenzi's rants. "I'll tell you how after I changed my clothes. Go to my room and I will tell you all about it."

She walked up the stairs and went straight to her room. The second floor has four rooms, one for each of the household's family members – Bo, Kenzi, Tamsin and Trick. Trick's room was always closed due to the fact that he also has a room at the basement of the bar wherein he usually retire after a day of work. Next to it was his office, thus the preference over his room in the house.

She removed all her clothes and changed to her favorite sleep wear – plain white shirt and her John Jay College basketball shorts. Kenzi was critical of her choice of sleep wear but it's comfortable so she had to roll with it. She pulled her guns from the holsters and put them in her gun safe.

She picked up her guitar and started strumming a tune. Every time she held her guitar, she remembered her father. Her father taught her to play guitar when she's only 9 years old. She remembered vividly how his eyes sparkled every time she learned a simple tune. She shook her head and cleared her throat. Now is not the time to reminisce on those times. She needed to shove it down and think about other things. Then she thought of Lauren. And she smiled.

She was still smiling when she heard a knock on the door. It was opened and she saw Kenzi and Tamsin, who had a black eye and a bruise on her chin.

She looked at Tamsin. "You looked like shit. What happened?"

"A moron decided to be more stupid and brought her girlfriend in the bar. Then he invited one of his friends and didn't know that this friend was his girlfriend's ex. Emotions and knuckles both flew. I helped to pacify the brawl but instead of thanks, I got these." She pointed to her face. "So before I smacked them on their faces, Bruce decided to give me my night off." She sighed. "Trick will kill me."

"Did anyone check that? Let me get my medicine kit." Bo shook her head. "This had been what, your third in a month? The bruise on your cheek was not yet healed then now your chin. So what's next, your forehead, the other cheek?" She sighed. "I told you to stop your bartending. You already got your degree. You should think of other jobs. Why don't you just enter the police academy?"

Tamsin blanched. "I don't know. Let me think about it. I love bartending because the pay was alright then there were the tips. Then of course, the entertainment you know." She smiled wickedly.

"Are you sure they were clean when you pick them up huh? And don't tell me you bring them here? If you do, I'll smack you. You're taller than me but I'm not afraid of you." Bo growled.

Tamsin put up her hands. "Of course not Bo. We usually end in a hotel or her/his place. And yes, I think they're clean."

"You think? Sexually transmitted diseases are really common these days, Tamsin and lots of people who have them don't have any symptoms. They can be dangerous. So if I were you, get yourself tested before it's too late." She looked at Kenzi. "Kenz, please search a hospital or a clinic near here so Tamsin can go there and have herself checked for venereal disease."

Tamsin rolled her eyes.

"As soon as possible Tam. I know you are sexually active and you have multiple lovers. Those reasons should push you to get yourself checked. I'm not kidding. One of my fellow policemen was also promiscuous. He didn't heed the advice of his friend. Do you know what happened to him? He found out he had STD because his faithful girlfriend had an annual exam at her job. They were checked for STD's and was shocked to find out that she has gonorrhea. She said she never had multiple lovers so she knew her boyfriend was cheating on her because of that. See? Before he realized his mistakes, it was too late. She broke up with him and spread the news about his promiscuity."

"Okay Bo, I will get myself checked."

"Good. So why are you exactly here in my room?"

"Kenzi dragged me here because she said you already found the mystery girl." She smirked.

"Let me check your bruise first then the story." Bo dabbed a cotton to the bruise to put away the blood. "Kenzi can you please get the ice pack from the freezer and a bottled water too?" Kenzi nodded. "Thanks."

"And then you, sit there and be comfortable." Bo pointed at the couch inside her room.

Kenzi came back with the ice pack and a bottled water.

"You know the drill." Bo said, handing over the ice pack and bottled water to Tamsin. She retrieved the bottle of Tylenol from the medicine kit and gave one to her as well.

Tamsin put the ice pack on her chin and looked at Bo. "So are we just going to talk about venereal diseases or what?"

"I got my laptop here so that as soon as Bo say her name, we could search further. I want to see her."

Bo sighed and sat beside Kenzi. "Alright. Her name is Dr. Lauren Lewis. She was working in Yale Hospital."

Kenzi's jaw dropped. "But we already gone through all the employees of that hospital and that name did not register in my search."

"Maybe because she's still a resident? I don't know if she will be listed as a regular employee of the hospital." Bo said.

"Oh shit, yeah I didn't bother to search through the interns, residents, etc. I'm so sorry Bo." Kenzi frowned.

Bo side-hugged her. "It's okay Kenz. I really appreciate all your help in finding her. I know you were working extra for that while you were studying. But I already found her so I'm okay with that."

"Yeah well let me see. Usually a Yale Hospital resident also studied in Yale University, right?" Kenzi typed quickly at her laptop.

"They usually do I think. What are you searching for?" Bo looked at the laptop's screen.

"I'm just googling her." Kenzi pointed out results. "Here it is. Wow, it's looked like your mysterious lady was famous when she was still a student. Here's one result from the Yale University website. It was year 1999. Bo, take a look if this your Lauren Lewis."

Bo and Tamsin looked at the screen. Tamsin and Kenzi heard a gasp from Bo. They looked at her and saw Bo was nodding. "Yeah that's her."

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 **Author's Note: Please read and review. Thank you.**


	5. Chapter 5 - Fall 2006

**Author's Note:** **I want to thank all of you who are still reading my story (lol!). I know my chapters are quite long but eventually things will move faster. I just need to introduce all the characters that are needed in this part of the story so please be patient with me. As always, I would like to thank all those people who read, review, followed and listed my story as one of their favorites. Thank you very much from the bottom of my Doccubus heart (lol!).**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Lost Girl and the characters. I just used them for my story.**

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 **Chapter Five**

The three of them are looking at a much younger Lauren. This was when she got her pre-med degree and was 20 years old.

"Whoa! She's beautiful Bo. Look, it's something about a graduation. It looked like she was given an award." Tamsin says.

Bo looks at the younger version of Lauren. She can't help but smile and admire every inch of her face.

Kenzi reads, "The Russell Chittenden Prize was awarded annually to the senior in Yale College majoring in the natural sciences or mathematics who ranks in scholarship. There's a citation for her." She clicked the link. "The citation was as follows:

In 1995, Lauren Lewis is only 16 years old when she entered Yale University. This year, she graduates summa cum laude with Distinction in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry at the age of 20. But the distinction truly extends to her entire academic record at Yale: she graduates with 37 credits, with every grade a straight A. One of her biochemistry professors has commented: "She exudes excellence in everything she does." She was also elected to Phi Beta Kappa in her junior year.

Lauren was a member of Yale Women's Track and Field team as a distance runner from 1995-1999. As she graduates, she earned a USTFCCCA All-Academic honor for her combined academic and athletic accomplishment. In 1997, she earned the Yale College Dean's Fellowship in the Sciences and Engineering for her research on mRNA and protein splicing and as a result, she was accorded the Alfred Bader Award in Bioinorganic or Bioorganic Chemistry by the American Chemical Society for the same research the next year. After this she will pursue her medical doctor degree here in Yale hoping to finish it seamlessly and specialize in clinical genetics and research.

In recognition of her unstinting commitment to academic excellence, Yale College proudly awards the Russell Henry Chittenden Prize to Lauren Lewis."

"Wow Bo, your girl's a genius. She graduated as summa cum laude and she won several awards." Kenzi exclaims. "How was she? Was she the nerdy type?"

"What did you mean when you say nerdy?" Bo asks.

"Socially awkward, shy, quirky or someone that randomly spouts facts."

"That's stereotyping and you know I hate that." Bo frowns at Kenzi.

"I know, sorry. Answer my question please." Kenzi grins.

"Far from it. What I saw was a beautiful and confident young woman who knew what she wanted and how to get it. Although she spouted some random facts and she was adorable." Bo smiles.

Kenzi and Tamsin looked at each other and hummed their approval.

"It looked like you've spent some time with her. How was that possible? It's just yesterday when you were clueless of her identity. All I knew was you and Kenzi spent all night looking at pictures in some websites." Tamsin asks.

Bo sighs. "I'll tell you all about it." She looks at their eager faces. "But please don't interrupt my narrative. And I need a drink." She goes to open her personal refrigerator and brought out 6-pack bottles of a New Haven local craft beer.

"I want a stronger drink. But this will do." Kenzi nods. She passes a bottle to Tamsin. "Tell us and promise no interruption."

Bo tells them about her day – from the email she received from Stephen up to the point when Hale dropped her on the way home, leaving out some details about her interactions with Lauren.

"Wow! So that's the reason why you just came home. This is huge Bo! If what Vex told you and Hale about the suspect's family, it will be all over the news!" Kenzi stands up and sits beside Bo. "And Lauren is one of your witnesses. Talk about strange meetups, you and Lauren kept seeing each other in dangerous situations. You had to put a stop on that. And I want to meet Vex. I think he's cool."

"Kenz, if it's in my power I'd rather met Lauren on low risk situations but let's face it, I'm police officer. There's really a huge chance that I will meet my potential significant other in my line of work. It is either another police officer or a person who was directly or indirectly linked to my job and you both knew I already put a stop on any possibility that I will date another police officer."

"Why? I mean, what's with that rule?" Tamsin frowns.

"First, it's a dangerous job. Being a police officer puts me in danger every day and if I'm going to date another police officer, that would be disastrous. Second, I can't stand the ego of some of my fellow police officers. I hate the pissing contest. Third, I thought of the long hours that we will be spending on the job. There's always the possibility that we won't see each other because of our different shifts. And lastly, I haven't felt any connection to any of them except for Hale. And Hale is my partner and my brother. So there are my reasons." Bo explains.

"I see your point Bo. But you only just spent 2 years in the job. What if someday you will meet a potential significant other in a police uniform? What if the person is not an egoistic bastard and you felt a connection? Would you still have that rule?" Kenzi points out.

"Refer to my first and third reasons. Still no go." Bo shakes her head.

Tamsin raised her eyebrows. "Well what if Lauren was a police officer? What will you do about that?"

"Hey that's a good question. I didn't think of that." Kenzi high-fives Tamsin. They both turns to Bo, who was opening her second bottle of beer.

"Oh... I..." The usual articulate police officer is speechless.

"Oh my God. I can't believe this. You're going to break your rule for her." Kenzi laughs. Suddenly, it dawns on her. "Shit, Tam, she left out some details from her narrative." She does the air quotes while rolling her eyes.

"What?" Bo asks nonchalantly.

"Spill the deets Bo, c'mon. It's just me and Kenzi." Tamsin whines.

Bo laughs. "You want me to tell you the details so you can tease me endlessly."

"You're being unfair. Remember, I helped you when you tried searching for her. You owed me." Kenzi snorts.

Bo huffs. "Okay. Well, what about you?" She turns to Tamsin.

"What? You're not going to tell me? Well, I was very supportive right from the very start. And Bo, Kenzi won't resist telling me so just save her breath and tell us what we wanted to know." Tamsin demands.

Bo chugs down half of the beer and started peeling the label off the bottle while searching for the right words to say. This was a habit of hers whenever she's nervous or anxious. "When Hale was talking to her while she was inside her car, I got curious because I saw his reaction. He smiled nicely and helped her get out. At first, I didn't even look at her face because I was busy ogling at her feet all the way up. I was shocked when I recognized her. She was also surprised to see me but she recovered faster than me. She shook my hand and her hand was warm and it's soothing. She looked into my eyes and I felt that she's looking into my very soul. I looked down and felt very shy. I tried not to ramble and falter in front of her. As the night went by, I got to see a glimpse of who she really is and I liked what I saw. We laughed, we teased each other. She flirted with me, I flirted back. She was serious most of the time but she can be funny as well."

Kenzi and Tamsin are silent. They are absorbing every word that Bo is saying.

"It was obvious that she has a good relationship with Vex. I saw that in their interactions. I felt a little bit jealous. It was funny actually. Why would I feel that way? I didn't have the right to feel that way but I did. It was pathetic and foolish."

"Bo, it's not pathetic or foolish. You felt a little bit jealous because you were feeling something for her. And you want to be close to her but you can't. Not right now. And because you're a control freak..."

"Hey I'm not a control freak!" Bo interrupts.

"Okay relax, you are little bit of a control freak. Just admit it." Kenzi grins. "And because you are, when you felt these emotions it made you think that you were being pathetic and foolish when I can say you were not. Why? It's because you felt it and it came from here..." She points at Bo's heart. "... rather than here." She points at Bo's head. "You're just afraid, afraid of showing her this side of you. You're afraid to be vulnerable in front of her. Because you want to be strong for her, you want to be her protector and you're afraid that she doesn't need you because there are other people that surrounds her like Vex. But I will tell you this, it's okay to show her that side of you. Maybe she doesn't need another protector. Maybe she needs you to show yourself without the mask, without the walls that you were trying to erect around you. Think about it."

"Are you sure you're not a psychology major student?" Tamsin teases Kenzi. "That was awesome sauce Kenz."

"Hahaha no. I'd rather work on computers. Then I also love forensics because of the numerous crime shows that I watched through the years. So taking up forensic science as my major is a win-win situation for me." Kenzi smiles. "After graduation, maybe I can apply here in New Haven. I heard the city lacked forensic science people to do the dirty job."

"Who told you?" Bo asks.

"Hale, of course."

"Yeah well, the city will definitely wait for you." Bo smiles. She was ready to continue her narrative when her phone alerted her with a message tone. "Who's gonna text me at this hour?" She opens her messages and sees that Lauren sent her three text messages.

 **Q: Why are ghosts so bad at lying?**

 **A: Because you can see right through them!**

 **Q: What did one thirsty vampire say to the other as they were passing by the morgue?**

 **A: Let's stop in for a cool one!**

 **Q: Why did the vampire get fired from the blood bank?**

 **A: He was caught drinking on the job!**

Bo can't stop the laughter that vibrates from her chest after reading Lauren's texts.

The other women are intrigued by her sudden change of mood. "What are you laughing at?"

"Lauren texted me some jokes. They are very funny so I laughed." She giggles.

"Let me see." Kenzi takes Bo's phone and reads the messages with Tamsin. After a few beats, both looked at Bo and snorts.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Bo, the jokes were quite funny but you laughed like they were jokes from Saturday Night Live." Kenzi laughs incredulously.

"They were very funny to me. Or maybe I'm just too sleepy. What do you think?"

"Maybe you're just sleepy." Tamsin smiles.

"Right. So Kenz, how was school?"

"It was good and fun. But wait, I don't think you are finished telling us the story about you and Lauren Bo. You can't just dismiss us." Kenzi grins.

"No, I'm not trying to escape or anything. I am actually listening to what you have said. Both of you know that I haven't dated for quite a long time now. I don't know how to play games. The last relationship that I had, I was a jerk and we didn't have the proper closure. I don't know how to do this."

"Bo, we all don't know how to do relationships. Hell, I haven't been in love so I just sleep with each person I met and then ditch them afterwards. Kenzi, on the other hand, had already been into serious relationships but all were fleeting. But we are still young. We can still hope. I, for one, am hopeful." Tamsin says.

"You are? Really?" Kenzi asks.

"Of course. I'm not that jaded Kenz. I'm just frustrated. Hey speaking of relationships, what's the deal with you and Nate?" Tamsin asks.

"Nate and me? What about us?" Kenzi frowns.

"Yeah, what's with you and Nate? I've been waiting for the right time to ask you that. Is there something going on between the two of you?" Bo asks.

"Nada. We are just getting along nowadays, nothing serious." Kenzi says.

"I don't agree. You were sweet with each other when I saw you last time in the bar while he was working. I was there." Tamsin shakes her head. "C'mon it's just the three of us here, we're sisters. We won't tell Trick."

"You're busted Kenz. You can't deny it. Just spill the beans. We won't judge. At least one of us has a love life." Bo smiles. She was really happy for Kenzi but was sad for Hale. _Poor Hale._ Hale has been secretly pining for the young woman since he met her two years ago.

Kenzi rolled her eyes. "Alright, alright. Nate and I has been dating since we started going to school. It hasn't been a month yet. As I said earlier, nothing serious." She looked at Bo. "I swear you will be in a relationship before this year ends. I can feel it."

Bo laughs incredulously. "No, that's impossible. That's not going to happen. And besides I will be busy with the case."

"Wanna bet?" Kenzi looks Tamsin. "I'm serious. How about you?"

Tamsin narrows her eyes. "Hmmm this year? I don't think so."

"See? Tamsin doesn't think so."

"And you believe Tamsin, the relationship guru?" Kenzi laughs. "You have low standards."

Tamsin hits Kenzi in the head. "Hey I'm offended. And I'm not finished. I think Bo will be in a relationship early next year. Let's say before Valentine's Day. I'm betting 50 dollars for that."

"You're on sistah!" Kenzi high-fives Tamsin.

"Wait! Betting with money is illegal. And betting about my love life is rude." Bo complaines.

"It's just between the two of us. Or do you want to join? You wanna bet on your love life?" Kenzi snickers.

Bo is going to comment on that when she hears her phone ring. An unregistered number appears on the screen. "Oh who's calling me now? God, it's almost 3 'o clock in the morning. Hello?" She smiles. "Hi Vex. I thought you were already sleeping. What's up?"

 ** _"_** ** _Hi Bo. Did I disturb you? Were you already sleeping?"_**

"No it's okay. I'm still up but ready to hit the sack. Is there something wrong with you and Lauren?"

 ** _"_** ** _No, it's nothing. Don't worry. I just want to ask what Lauren texted you earlier."_**

"Oh. Just a bunch of jokes, that's all. I was actually surprised when I got them. The last text that I got from her before the jokes was kinda formal."

 ** _"_** ** _Oh my God. You're one of us now. Congratulations!"_** Vex's laugh is rambunctious.

"What do you mean? Who's 'us'?"

 ** _"_** ** _Me, Dyson, Ryan and Ciara. You were initiated to one of 'After Hours Lauren' classic acts."_**

"And that is?"

 ** _"_** ** _Texting corny jokes when drunk."_**

"She drunk-texted me? Is she okay?"

 ** _"_** ** _She's okay. We were watching TV when we decided to drink. She drank a whole bottle of wine. She just forgot to pace herself. And she's tired. Exhaustion plus alcohol was not a good combination. But she's already sleeping so all is well."_**

"Good. How about you, are you okay? Are you drunk?

 ** _"_** ** _No, I'm good. Thank you. I just drank two tall glasses of gin and tonic. I called just to check what Lauren texted you. And also to say good morning, Officer Dennis. Please say hi to your friends! I knew you would be telling them about our adventures last night._**

"So wise, Mr. Tate! Good thing you called. I want to take this opportunity to thank you.

 ** _"_** ** _Thank me? For what?"_**

"For answering Hale's question in a subtle way that if I blinked I have missed it."

 ** _"_** ** _Oh that! Yeah well, I was always been a good wing man for Lo ever since she got out there you know! The best! Although there's this one time when I failed her, uhhh sorry twice! Ooops, I shouldn't have said that! My tongue got looser, thanks to the gin and tonic. I shouldn't have said that! Lo will kill me. Bo, please don't tell her that I told you!"_**

"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me."

 ** _"_** ** _Thank you Bo! You know if you need my help, you can count on me! That's a promise!"_**

"I'll keep that in mind Vex."

 ** _"_** ** _I know you will. So... before I got more tactless and my tongue got looser, I need to get off the phone!"_** He laughs.

"Okay. Drink a glass of water before you sleep. It will help with the hangover. Good morning!"

 ** _"_** ** _Ciao. See you when I see you!"_**

He hangs up.

"Who's that on the phone?" Tamsin asks.

"It was Vex, Lauren's best friend."

"It seems that you have a rapport with him." Kenzi voices her observation.

"Yeah. He's cool and there's a lightness in his personality that you can't resist but to talk to him. I think that's why he and Lauren are best friends. He is this one person that has been present in Lauren's life since they were kids, until now. I need him to be my friend, to be on my side."

"Well, looks like you already have a plan." Tamsin smiles wickedly.

"What? Plan for what?"

"For Lauren, obviously." Kenzi quips.

"To be perfectly honest with the two of you, for now this has something to do with the case."

"If you say so." Kenzi says with a tight-lipped smile.

"I say so." Bo narrows her eyes and looks at her two best friends. "So if there's nothing else, go to your rooms and rest. I need to sleep because after lunch, Hale and I will be working on the case."

"Okay, see you at lunch. I also need to work on some school projects. And get back to my searches." Kenzi says.

"You have projects this early of the school year? I don't think so. You'll just call Nate and make lovey-dovey talk with him." Tamsin grins.

"Nate is still working so you're so very wrong on that Tam." Kenzi winks.

"Okay whatever. Get out of my room." Bo literally shoves them out of her room.

"You know you need to get laid so you would be less cranky." Tamsin laughs.

Bo raises her eyebrows. "So what's your excuse then huh? I'm cranky because I was up early yesterday and I've been awake for almost 24 hours now. And you don't have a say about my sex life. It's private."

She closes and lockes her door before Tamsin or Kenzi think of anything to say about her statement. She's really exhausted and the need for sleep is inevitable. She picks up the bottles of beer and dumps them into the garbage can. She arranges the throw pillows on the couch where Tamsin and Kenzi sat earlier when they talked. The couch was kind of bulky but her room is big. She bought it in a sale and put it into her room. This is where Tamsin and Kenzi sit whenever the three of them talk about everything and anything. She also bought a small center table to go along with the couch.

She sits on the edge of her bed and switched off the lamp. She sees her phone lit up and is surprised that there were unopened text messages. Is it Lauren again? She quickly looks at it and chuckles when she was right. She can't help but laugh at every joke she reads. She really thinks the jokes are funny, how can she not laugh at them? She suddenly became serious and thinks about the sender. "Lauren... Lauren..." she utters. "Now I finally know your name... now I won't stop saying it." She lays down on her bed and hugs a pillow. Suddenly, she thinks of a better way to end her day. She opens her phone and texts hurriedly. She smiles and wishes that whenever the receiver read it, it will put a smile into her face. Because just thinking of her makes her heart flutter and her breath hitch.

She sighs. As darkness and silence engulfs her room, she finally surrenders to sleep and closes her pretty brown eyes.

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 **New York, NY**

Stephen Doherty is a proud man. He had achieved so much in his life. He was a former NYPD detective, was a decorated one. He is faithful husband to his wife and a proud father of his three kids. But life sometimes will throw you a curveball and you just need to deal with it. One night while on a case, a tip came down to the station. Their main suspect was seen loitering in one of the busiest streets in New York, between Fifth Avenue and 23rd Street where apparently, one of the victims was seen murdered in front of a Bank of America ATM machine. As one of the lead detectives, he was quick to get on his feet and drive to the location.

It was one week away from Christmas and the city was the busiest at time of the year. Traffic jams at every street, people walking around the stores having a great time, looking at the historical buildings; experiencing New York at this time was either magical or disastrous. If you ask the former detective, it was the latter. That's why even he was assigned to the station at the very heart of the city, he chose to live in far side of Brooklyn.

He was already near the Madison Square Park when suddenly a speeding Ford truck rammed into his car. He lost control of the steering wheel while the car was pushed onto a wall. His side of the car took the brunt of the hit and he was unconscious when the EMTs pulled him from his car. His doctor called it a miracle when he woke up after a month from his coma. He actually wished that he died instead because when the doctor told him about his injuries, he nearly fainted. His legs suffered the most and needed 6 months of physical therapy. He should be thankful that he had lived but when he was forced to retire from NYPD, he was devastated. A long list of statements from the hospital, doctors and others who provided care when he was still recuperating from his injuries sent his wife and children into agony. The money NYPD gave him due to his retirement was not enough to cover the charges. Thankfully, a monthly stipend was given to him but this only covered their monthly expenses of their household.

After all what happened, he was still a proud man so he overcame his bad luck and started a private detective company. One day, he received a call from an anonymous woman. He was told to meet her in a plush hotel in New York. Initially, he was not convinced to meet her but when she told him the amount of money that she's willing to give to him for just meeting her, he relented. He was told to come into a specific address and a car will be there to pick him up. Two men in black came with a Mercedes Benz sedan. He was escorted to the car and was immediately blindfolded once seated in the car. He was told not to speak. The cloak and dagger approach to all of these was making havoc to his psyche. He was about to make a noise when the car suddenly stopped. He was dragged out from the car and made to stand straight. A warning was whispered into his ear and felt a gun was pointed to his side. He decided to just go with the flow and let the men drag him to whenever they were going.

His instincts told him that they entered an elevator. His gut rewarded him when he felt the room he entered a moment ago went up and up. He heard the sound of elevator doors opening up and was again dragged by the two men. After a while, they entered a room. He was shoved into a chair. He thought the blindfold will be removed but when a woman spoke, he knew it would futile to wish that it will be. He remembered the voice of the woman he first spoke with over the phone. It was a soothing voice. The more he heard the woman speak, the more he learned to trust the person behind the voice.

He was asked if he wanted to work for her. As this time of his life, he just can't refuse any thing as he was still paying some of his debts. He reluctantly agreed even though he still don't know what the job was. He was told that he should answer her phone calls every time she calls him. The calls will be around the clock. It can be 3 in the morning or 4 in the afternoon, it won't matter. The most important thing was it should be answered or else the business deal will be terminated. He agreed with the terms and conditions of the job given to him mainly because a lot of money was part of it. He was willing to swallow his pride for it as long as the money keeps pouring in.

It was a month ago when he was 'kidnapped' by the two men when he received the first phone call. He was told that a woman will sought his help. He was to accept that job whatever it was. His employer told him that all information about the case should be passed on to her but he should not tell the woman that someone was keeping tabs on the case. He was incredulous at first but he can't do anything but to obey blindly. He needed the money and needed it badly.

He is getting ready to sleep when his phone rings. He hears the ring tone he assigned for his 'employer'. He quickly answers so his wife won't be awaken.

"Hello?" He answers.

 _ **"Hello Stephen. How do you do?"**_ The voice utters.

"I'm fine Madam." He keeps his answers short. The first time was a disaster. He wanted to impress his 'employer' and gave her a rousing greeting when she interrupted him and told him to just listen.

 _ **"Good. Now, did you already contact Bo?"**_

"Yes Madam. We already corresponded through email."

 _ **"What was her response?"**_

"Positive Madam. I will be seeing her in 2 weeks in New Haven."

 _ **"Good. I will be calling again before you see her. Your compensation will be transferred to your bank first thing on Monday morning."**_

"Thank you Madam."

 _ **"Good morning Stephen."**_

She already hanged up when he started to say goodbye. The call was shorter than the last one. He starts to notice the lilt of his 'employer's' voice whenever she mentioned the name Bo. It was subtle but it's there. As a former detective, he can't help but to guess the age of his 'employer'. Her voice seemed to be mature enough for her to be in her early 40's but there's something youthful in it so he may be wrong.

He wants to ruminate more on her 'employer's' identity and age but he is very sleepy so he walks down to the master bedroom and lays down immediately. He closes his eyes and succumbs to a silent slumber.

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 **Westville, New Haven**

Lauren wakes up with a start. She slowly sits up and leans her back into the headboard. _What happened?_ All she can remember is before she woke up someone was calling her name twice. The first voice was Nadia's. But the second was Bo's. The former was a plea while the latter was a call of longing. She is confused. She breathes slowly. _I am probably waking from REM sleep and my paralyzed muscle suddenly came to life rather slowly._ But the voices, they were clear and evocative. _I just need to take a shower and start my day._

She took a shower and changed her clothes. She sits on the edge of her bed and stares at a space on the wall. She sighes and decides to do something that she always do when her mind is in chaos. She walks towards to her office and reaches out for her violin case. Hers was a gift from her grandparents, Margaret and Terrence Lewis, her father's parents. They were the ones who encouraged her to learn how to play the violin. She started to play it at the tender age of five. She was reluctant at first but when she learned a few songs, she was enthralled. Since she has a steep learning curve, she was playing concertos after a year. Two of her favorites are Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto and Bach's Chaconne. But today, she thinks of playing The Lark Ascending by Vaughan Williams. It was inspired by a poem of the same name written by one George Meredith, which tells the tale of a skylark singing an impossibly beautiful, almost heavenly, song. Lauren feels she need to play this piece in order to go through the day.

She opens the case and stares at her Stravidarius. It is a rare piece and she doesn't play it much. Her grandparents reportedly acquired it through various channels but she's not privy with the story. Perhaps one day she will ask them about it. There were only 650 original Stravidari instruments that survived throughout the ages and that includes 512 violins. They gave it to her when she had her last recital. She also has a Stentor. It was another gift but this time, it was given by her parents. It was given to her when she had her first recital.

She picks the violin and brings it to her neck. She grips the bow and starts playing open strings from the top and bottom string. When she is satisfied with what she heard, she starts playing The Lark Ascending as she closes her eyes.

Her body sways with the vibrato that is coming and going, with complete freedom and in the most unexpected places. Playing the violin is like a cleansing of the soul and clearing of the mind. It is always like that to her. When she finished, her eyes are still closed and is breathing deeply. She wants to play another piece when she hears her stomach growl. It is time to eat breakfast.

Lauren Lewis is always a morning person. This is mainly because breakfast is her favorite meal of the day. She puts back her Stravidarius and locks it in the case. She comes out of her office and checks herself in the mirror while she fixes her hair up. She goes down to the kitchen and starts thinking about what to cook for breakfast.

When she was still a child, she was always looking forward to what her Nana Lupe cooked for breakfast. She was only four years old when she and her twin brother Vincent met their nanny, Guadalupe Gomez. She came from Mexico City, the capital of Mexico. She was hired mainly to take care of the twins but when Oliver and Eleanor Lewis found out that Guadalupe Gomez was a great cook, they also hired her to cook for the whole family.

Nana Lupe was a student of life, so she said. And she always wanted to cook so when she got her high school diploma, instead of marrying her childhood sweetheart, she told her parents that she wanted to go around the world and learn how to cook every country's cuisine. She said Mexican cuisine is one of the most delicious food around the world but it was not the only one. She heard that French and Italian cuisine were famous and delicious too so she wanted to know more. She wanted to broaden her horizons. Her parents were reluctant at first because she was only 18 years old at that time. But she persevered and got her parents' approval. She was a good and obedient child her parents said so they let her go.

She went to France and Italy and eventually to Spain, England and Greece. She was a trailblazer, learning all things about cooking as much as she could. She also went to India, Japan and Southeast Asia. Finally, she went to South America and after ten long years, she eventually got back to Mexico. Two years after that, she applied for a US visa and was approved. She eventually met her husband, Ricardo Garcia, a farmer from California. It was love at first, she said. When they saw each other for the first time, they were already comfortable with each other and shared each other's dreams. She wanted to have her own restaurant while he wanted to have his own farm. Someday, they both said. They knew they have to work from scratch. And because of their shared dreams and thoughts, they fell in love deeper and after a year, they got married.

The couple lived in San Diego, where Ricardo's family had been living for decades. When they got settled, Guadalupe searched for work as a cook. But she failed to get a job immediately. Restaurants in their area wanted their cooks to be educated in school. One of the restaurant owners told her that she can be hired but she needed to start from the lowest job – washing the dishes. She refused and had a talk with her husband. They decided that she needed to start from something in order to start the ball rolling and she thought that being a nanny was a nicer job than washing the dishes in a restaurant. So she searched and searched until one day, her husband told her that a young couple from Palos Verdes Estates wanted to hire a nanny. One of his farmer friends told him about it and said that the family owned a couple of restaurants. Once she heard about the restaurants, she told him that she will apply for the job.

So as the story went, she was hired. When she was left with the children, she quickly went to the kitchen and perused the pantry and refrigerator. She cooked Mexican and Italian dishes for them to eat. She made chicken fajita quesadilla, chicken chilaquiles and carbonara.

Lauren vividly remembered that day. She saw warm and kind eyes. And the food she cooked were all delicious. Since Lauren was innately curious, even though she's only four that time, she asked her Nana Lupe how she cooked all of those food. Her Nana just laughed and said that she will teach Lauren as she gets older. So when she was six years old, Nana Lupe taught her how to roll and knead dough and make fresh pasta sheets, crack eggs into bowls and make omelets, use measuring cups and spoons accurately and all other things a kid of her age can do in the kitchen. Her first dish was a cheese omelet with vegetables. Her parents and brother got to eat it and they said it was delicious. So whenever she finished her assignments and other school related projects and extra-curricular activities, she was in the kitchen with her Nana Lupe.

So now, she is wide awake and cracking some eggs. She feels nostalgic, the need to remake her first omelet intensifies. After this, she's planning to bake pies. But first she needs to check if she has the ingredients for the pies. Then she remembers that last night, she should have been in a supermarket but fate had other plans for her. Fate? When did she start thinking about fate? The answer comes immediately. It was last night, when she met Bo for the second time. She shakes her head. _I need not to think about her at this time because if I'll start, I won't be finishing anything today_. She can't help but smile slightly when she thinks of Bo.

While she is smiling, she grates some cheese and chops some vegetables. She whisks the eggs, added some milk, salt and pepper and fires up the stove into low heat. She adds a chunk of unsalted butter into the pan and let it melt. She then adds the vegetables and let them absorb the butter. She then preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. She finally adds the egg mixture and let it cook. She uses a spatula to check if the omelet is slightly cooked and transfers it to the oven. She bakes it in 15 minutes. While waiting for the omelet, she toasts some bread. When it is done, she cuts ¼ part of the omelet and put it into a plate with the toasted bread. She pours herself a glass of orange juice.

She wanted to wait for Vex and Ciara but she is already hungry so she goes ahead and eats her breakfast. She eats it while looking outside the window. In this part of the kitchen, she can see their garden. The garden needs an overhaul. She thought of hiring a landscaper but she doesn't have the time to search for one. She needs to seek help from Vex if he know someone who do landscaping in New Haven.

She finishes her breakfast but still no Vex and Ciara so she moves to the pantry and checks if she has enough flour, eggs, milk and other ingredients she needs for the pies. When she is sure that she has enough ingredients, she starts to gather them. She plans on baking cinnamon crumble apple and pumpkin custard pies.

It is that moment when she hears noises coming from the stairs. _Finally they are awake._

"Good morning Lo." Vex announces his presence.

"Good morning Vex. Where's Ciara?"

"She is in the living room and turning the television on. She wants to know if the news of Nadia's assault is already being reported in the local channel."

"Oh okay." Lauren remembers her dream where she heard Nadia and Bo calling her name. "Why don't you prepare your breakfast first then we go and watch the news? I'll prepare a plate for Ciara but you have to toast your own bread."

"What did you cook for breakfast?"

"Just a cheese and vegetable omelet."

"Perfect. Ciara will call us as soon as she sees something about Nadia. I'll also make coffee."

They go to the kitchen and prepare Vex's and Ciara's breakfast. Lauren pours another orange juice for herself.

"How's your head? Is it still throbbing when you woke up this morning?" Vex asks Lauren.

"No, it was already gone when I woke up. Thank you for taking care of me. How about you? Are you okay?"

"It's just a mild headache. Nothing to worry about. And you don't need to thank me for taking care of you, you know that." He winks. He is about to tell her about the drunken jokes and the call to Bo when Ciara shouts from the living room.

"Vex, Lauren the news about Nadia is on our local channel. Get in here!"

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 **Author's Note: Please read and review. I'm on Twitter. And you should search the The Lark Ascending (in violin, of course!) in YouTube. It was amazing. You will be inspired.**

 **Twitter Name: WonderChaser**


	6. Chapter 6 - Fall 2006

**Author's Note: I was thinking about this story when an epiphany struck me. I mentioned in the first chapter that this story was conceptualized in June this year but due to hesitance on my part, I just started writing it and finally published it in September. I am not really confident of my writing style and I am just really thankful that many of you still appreciated it. I know some of you really wanted more interaction between Bo and Lauren. I know the feeling guys since I'm a huge Doccubus/BoLo fan. I just wanted to assure you that after this chapter, more BoLo interactions will be written in the story. Most of my time now (when I'm not working or sleeping) are spent on thinking about this story. I feel that I'm actually living in this world sometimes, that I'm outside looking in. I just wanted you to know that the epiphany that I'm talking about really pushed me into thinking that this story was meant to be told here. Sorry for ranting but I'm doing this to encourage myself to write. I will share the epiphany once an important part of the story was told.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Lost Girl and the characters. I just used them for my story.**

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 **Chapter Six**

Vex and Lauren hurriedly went to the living room and sat on the couch.

"In the local news, the New Haven Police Department received a dispatch from a 911 operator yesterday evening due to a call by a concerned citizen and reported a possible aggravated assault somewhere in Fair Haven Heights. The victim was a Yale resident doctor, Dr. Nadia Woods. The authorities confirmed that she was still alive but was badly injured and fighting for her life in the Yale New Haven Hospital as of this morning. The suspect was caught on the same location and was now in the custody of the police. It was also reported that the suspect was a lawyer and was secretly married to the victim. The police is still in the process in confirming these information. Once confirmed, it is possible that the case will be leveled up to domestic abuse and will result into the suspect's disbarment from the bar and will no longer have the right to practice law. The identity of the suspect and witness will remain anonymous until such time the police divulge the information to the public."

"Huh, good thing the identity of the concerned citizen or the witness has remained anonymous." Ciara said.

"I don't think the police should release that information unless it's necessary. There's no need to expose the witness." Vex pointed out.

Lauren remained silent.

Vex turned to her and asked, "What do you think Lo?"

"I don't know. How long am I going to be protected from all of these? And also you Vex, you are also a witness."

"Lo, Bo and Hale promised us remember? And I think their sergeant was also an honorable man. They won't feed us to the lions. We won't be exposed unless there's a dire need to do it, like if the case will go to court? But today, no one's going to be exposed." Vex smiled. "Bo won't let them. She's already protective of you."

Lauren smiled. "Okay, I believe you. And right now, I don't want to think about it. But I need to know what is in store for us today. First, I will be baking pies... "

"Pies... as in plural." Ciara raised her eyebrows. "What kind of pies are you going to make?"

"Cinnamon crumble apple and pumpkin custard pies."

"Yum! But wait, I can sense a little bit of tension. And you were baking pies. You baked pies whenever you're stressed or anxious. Was playing the violin not enough?" Vex stared at Lauren. "I heard it when I woke up. It was very good Lo. You are really a very good violinist. I was sad when you stopped your recitals. You can be the next Itzhak Perlman. What's the name of the piece?" Vex asked.

"It's The Lark Ascending by Vaughan Williams. I rarely play it. I'm not even in the tenth of what Itzhak Perlman and the other great violinists can do. And besides, it's just a hobby. It's like cooking and baking for me." Lauren smiled.

"You have so many hobbies, I can't count them with my fingers. What about you being a triathlete? Did you already throw that out of the window?" Ciara asked.

"No, I'm actually thinking more seriously about it. But in order for me to enter an event, I need to train for 12 weeks. And right now, I don't have the time for that. So I'm postponing it."

"See? Too many hobbies. You're such an overachiever." Ciara quipped.

"So back with baking pies. I love those pies that you are making. Do you have enough ingredients?" Vex asked.

"Yes I have enough. I already checked. After I baked the pies, we need to go to the supermarket. I should have been gone there yesterday but you know what happened. So today, it should be done. Care to accompany me later?" Lauren asked Vex. Vex nodded. "What about you?" She turned to Ciara.

"Sure. I need to get out. I mean, I cooped up myself in the house yesterday because Dyson and I were talking nonstop. He called again after I woke up so..."

"That's the beauty of a long distance relationship." Vex grinned. He sighed when he saw Ciara's face. "Okay, sorry about that. I know it's hard."

"We are actually planning to get together sometime soon so..."

"Where, here or there in California?" Lauren asked.

"Well, he said he's going to talk with you two."

"You are being mysterious." Vex observed.

"I just don't want to be preempted. He will talk to the two of you, personally."

"He will be here next month?" Lauren smiled. "I missed Dyson."

"Yeah he really missed you. And even you." Ciara looked at Vex.

"Well I'm irresistible." Vex laughed. "Is Ryan tagging along?"

"That I don't know. Your friend is unpredictable. But he may tag along." She looked at Lauren.

"That's okay with me. I haven't seen Ryan for quite a while now."

"No "I missed Ryan' statement?" Vex smirked.

"Okay I missed him too. Happy?" Lauren rolled her eyes.

"He will surely jump for joy if he hear you say that." Ciara laughed.

"I know. Good thing he's not here. So, eat your breakfast while I make the pies. Then we'll go to the supermarket. Is it okay if we eat lunch outside?"

"Yeah that's okay. It's the weekend, we need to maximize our time outside. It was so rare having free time these days." Ciara sighed.

"I agree. It's rare that we three have this time right now. Why aren't you two in the hospital? Especially you Ciara. I thought that with your specialty, you will be spending all of your hours there." Vex said.

"Well this morning, our department head texted me. He said I'll be on call today until tomorrow. That's weird right? I mean this never happened before. Don't tell me it has something to do with what happened to Nadia." Ciara stated.

"Did you ask your department head the reason why?" Vex asked.

"I didn't actually realize it until now that you asked us. And you, why are you here?" She looked at Lauren.

"I already finished my residency in 2005. But that's only one subspecialty. I can actually start my fellowship but since I was not board certified yet, I can't. I already had one year on the laboratory side. I needed another year to finish it." Lauren blushed and saw the look Vex was giving her. "From now on, my weekends will be free unless I'll need to spend my time reviewing for the boards."

"Well of course, you are already finished. Why am I not surprised?" Ciara giggled. "So are you going to submit your application for the board certification next year? They shouldn't make you take the exam. It's just formality for you. You'll ace it."

"Yes I will. Deadline is on November 1 but I already submitted my application. How about you? This is your last year of your residency. Are you going to submit your application?" Lauren asked.

"I'm actually thinking if I'm going to. Dyson and I were talking about it. But he said he'll support me whatever I decide."

"Wow Dyson has grown up! Good for you Ciara. I think you did the impossible. You tamed the dawg!" Vex cackled.

Ciara wanted to be pissed at Vex for his dig on Dyson but she knew that he was just telling the truth so she relented. "Thank you Vex." She smirked.

"Have you two finished your breakfast?" Lauren asked. Vex and Ciara nodded. "Okay. Just leave your plates in the sink and I'll load the dishwasher. I need go to my room and get my cellphone."

She went up the stairs and entered her room. She saw her cellphone and opened it. There's one message unopened. It was from Bo and it was sent to her at 3 in the morning. She raised an eyebrow and opened the message. The message was:

 **Q: What did the judge say to the dentist?**

 **A: Do you swear to pull the tooth, the whole tooth and nothing but the tooth?**

 **Q: Have you heard the joke about the butter?**

 **A: I better not tell you, it might spread.**

She laughed out loud until she was out of breath. She suddenly stopped and was curious as what prompted Bo to send her jokes like that. "Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit." She mumbled. She went to her sent messages and found out that she sent two messages to Bo and they were all jokes. She felt a headache was building up fast. "Vex, can you come up to my room please?" She texted.

After a while, she heard someone walking up the stairs and opened her door. "Was there anything wrong Lo?" It was Vex.

"I just realized that I sent some silly jokes to Bo. She may think that I'm weird or something."

"Well you are weird sometimes." He snickered. He stopped when she glared at him. "You really are sometimes, but you're so loveable we let it pass. News flash Lo, she thought your jokes were funny."

"How did you know that?"

"I'm kinda drunk, well we both were, so I called her before I slept."

"And?"

"She told me she laughed at your jokes and she thought they were funny."

"Really?"

"Yeah. You both have a weird sense of humor. She's the only one who laughed at your 'After Hours Lauren' jokes."

"You're not kidding? You're not pulling my leg?"

"No. Ask her next time you saw each other if you don't believe me."

"Yes I will." She stopped for a while and became serious. "She really is something special, isn't she?"

"She is." He saw the sparkle in Lauren's eyes. "You are too, Lo." He smiled. "Did you see what I did there?"

Lauren laughed. "Yeah. Thank you Vex. You truly are my best friend." She winked. "So, do you want to talk about what's bothering you since last night?"

Vex's face became grim. He sighed. "Sure. Maybe while you bake the pies? I actually wanted to ask you something. About finishing your residency..."

"Yes, what about it?"

"You said you will be very busy but you already finished your residency."

"What I've told you and Ciara was true. I already finished my residency but it's only one subspecialty. Once I finished that, I started with the lab side."

"So you're not really busy..." He raised an eyebrow.

She sighed. "I'm just reasoning out. But still... I will be busy. Trust me. With the last year of laboratory training and the board certification, I will be."

"Alright, alright. I won't push you." He shook his head. "I'll just take a shower and then I'll go to the kitchen as soon as possible."

"Okay. Where's Ciara?"

"Ciara already loaded and started the dishwasher." He stopped her protestations. "Lo, you already cooked breakfast. Go ahead and bake the pies."

She walked down the stairs and went straight to the kitchen. "Ci, where are you?"

"I'm in here in the pantry Lo."

"What you are doing there?"

"I'm checking if we still have enough ingredients for another pie. You told me Dyson's favorite was blueberry pie right?"

"Yeah it is. He really loves it. He can actually eat one whole pie. His favorite was my grandmother's blueberry pie and she taught me how to do it."

"Really? Was it your grandmother Lewis?"

"Yes. Our grandmother Thornwood was very good in finances but not in baking." Lauren laughed.

"Oh okay. Uhm, since we are both free today, can you teach me how to do it? I really wanted to know how to bake blueberry pie. If there's a pie that I can bake, it would be it."

"Because of Dy." She nodded. "That's very sweet. Of course, I can teach you. But we need to buy fresh blueberries. That's the only way we can do it, all fresh ingredients. We'll do it after lunch?"

"Yeah, that will do. We have enough flour I think. What were the other ingredients?"

"Salt, shortening, sugar, lemon juice, butter, fresh blueberries. Cinnamon is optional. Hey, I remembered. Dyson also loved blueberry cheesecake. We will do that some other time if you want. He really loved blueberries."

"Yeah I want. Let's do that next time." Ciara smiled.

Lauren looked at Ciara. "Do I need to know something?"

"Hey, you are being perceptive. That's new."

"That's not new. I am a perceptive person. But you being avoidy, that is new. So spill."

"You had hits and misses in the past. And there's no such word. Avoidy is not in the dictionary." Ciara pointed out and laughed.

Lauren shook her head and grinned. "It's Vex's word. So tell me, what's up with you and Dyson?"

Ciara sighed. "I told you I don't want to preempt anything but you being perceptive is refreshing so okay, I'll give you a hint." She smiled. "He's willing to uproot himself from California and live here in New Haven."

Lauren was caught off guard. "What, really?"

"Lo, we're both tired of long distance relationship. Seeing each other four times a year was not healthy for the relationship so we decided one must sacrifice. As much as I want to, I can't be that one because I still have one year on my residency. He said he will do it. He said he already told your parents and his parents and they agreed."

"Wow, that's huge. I mean, Dy will be here for good? That's amazing. I'm really happy for the both of you." She hugged Ciara.

"Thank you Lauren. The other reason why he wanted to be here was because he missed you terribly. That's why he said he wanted to speak to you and Vex."

"I missed him too, especially when he was in Serbia and Afghanistan. Good thing he was only there for three years." Lauren smiled.

'Well this means Ryan will just drop by anytime he wants." Ciara grinned. "Is that okay with you?"

"Ci, if Ryan really wants to come here, he doesn't need Dyson for that. He can come anytime he wants." She sighed. "I can't do anything about him. He's stubborn."

"Lo, Ci where are you?" Vex shouted.

"We're in the pantry. You don't have to shout." Ciara hollered.

"What are you doing here? I thought you already gathered your ingredients."

"We were looking if we have enough ingredients for another pie. Ci wanted me to teach her how to bake a blueberry pie for Dyson." Lauren smiled.

"Oh my God. That man can eat a whole blueberry pie. Maybe we can just turn our garden into a blueberry garden since he will be staying here for good." Vex grinned.

"How did you..." Ciara stammered.

"I've been observing you for the last couple of months. You were frustrated. Before, you were satisfied if he called you once a day. But now, he needed to call you three times a day. I don't know but what else would you be talking about? I bet you were already planning about your future. Long distance won't cut it for sure."

Ciara snorted. "How did you know that? I'm not always here."

Vex laughed. "I was just guessing but your reaction confirmed it."

Ciara laughed. "Okay, I was being clingy. But it's Dyson. I love him." She looked at the clock. "Wait, maybe he's calling. I need to get my phone. Excuse me."

Lauren whispered, "How do you do that?"

"Lo, it was a calculated guess. Most of the couples that were in a long distance relationship tend to be frustrated in the long run. There will come a time that one of them should sacrifice just to be near with their significant other. I read a study wherein it said that the most successful relationships were those couples that were living near to each other. It was easy, given their situation. But Ciara couldn't be the one who will sacrifice because she still have one year left on her residency. So it must be Dyson." Vex shrugged.

Lauren smiled. "Okay, so enough Dyson and Ciara. We need to focus on you right now. So what do you want to tell me that made you wait for me yesterday night?"

"Can we move to the kitchen?"

She gathered the ingredients for the crumble apple pie and started measuring the flour. "Vaughn, don't wait for me to say please."

He sighed. "Mother and I talked about the family business and she wanted to know my plans for the next five years. She wanted to know how much I wanted to be involved in terms of managing it. I told her that I can do it from here. Our sales from the time I managed it from here up to now were skyrocketing. She said it's just the trend for the manufacturing industry in California right now. So she's saying I didn't have anything to do with it. She said wanted to transfer the reins to Rox because she's there and it's time for to use her Economics degree from Stanford." He tilted his head. "Don't get me wrong Lo, I'm happy for Rox. She's my baby sister. But what about me? I managed the business for four years when I was there. Then another two years when I was here."

"What did you tell her about your plans for the next five years?"

"To be perfectly honest with you Lo, the family business was all I have now. Well I still have my trust fund." He shrugged. "I already have some savings. And I told you about the house I bought in Malibu." He smiled. "I also wanted to buy a house here. And you know that I really wanted my freedom – especially freedom from her. She's still the domineering parent that she ever was. But when she told me about Rox taking over the business, I really felt sad. It was like I was dumped by a girlfriend. It was worse because she's my mother. She even told me that since I'm still in the board of directors and part of the family, I will still be receiving money from her. That's a low blow and she knew it. So what are my plans for the next five years? I need to change them now."

Lauren stopped kneading the dough and looked at Vex. "I really hope that I could tell you that I understand what you're going through Vaughn. But I can't. From the time we graduated high school, I literally got away from my family and the family business. And I left Vincent by himself to deal with mom and dad. That's why I chose Yale because it's far away from California."

"I know. It's just that I was suddenly grasping straws here."

"Why not study again and get a master's degree? You must visit Yale as soon as possible." He cringed at her suggestion. Lauren saw the look in Vex's face. She smiled. "I know you don't really want to go back to school, but please try. You may like it. That's one option." She wrapped the dough balls into plastic and refrigerated them. "Or you may start your own business here, in New York or in Boston."

"Well yeah, I liked those options. I may take up your suggestion of visiting Yale soon."

"But Vaughn, was your mother's decision already final?"

"Unfortunately yes. It's either I go back to California and manage the business from there or Rox will take over. So I yielded."

"And when will Roxanne take the reins from you?"

"It will be official on the first day of January next year."

"I'm so sorry Vaughn." Lauren hugged Vex. "I know you're doing this so that no one get hurt especially Roxanne. You're a good son and big brother." She kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you Lauren. I love you. You really are my best friend in the whole wide world."

"I love you too." She laughed. "Now, take a bath because you stink."

"Oh what a charmer you are Lo." Vex laughed. "Okay, I'll take a bath. I'll go down as soon as possible."

She winked at him. She waited for him to go up the stairs until he was gone. She retrieved her cellphone and typed a message to Bo. She thought for a while and smiled. She read her message and sent it when she's okay with it. It's time to make her fillings for the pies.

 **LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG**

 **Downtown, New Haven**

Waking up in the morning was a ritual for Bo. She was not a morning person so every time she was assigned to the morning shift, it really took up a lot of effort on her part to look alive. She would usually get up with her eyes still closed while her digital alarm clock was buzzing furiously. She went through lots of alarm clocks in her life. Most of them were damaged being thrown off the wall.

But when someone was knocking at her door and it's her grandfather's voice on the other side, Bo can't help but wake up suddenly. She looked at the clock and saw that it's only nine o'clock in the morning. She sighed. She wouldn't be getting any more sleep now that her grandfather was personally waking her up.

"Ysabeau, were you already up?" Trick asked.

"I'm already up Pops. You can come in." Bo said.

The door opened and Trick entered her granddaughter's room. "I'm still in awe of what you have done to your room Ysabeau. It's very homey and livable despite of the abundance of your stuff. And I like your couch." He smiled.

"I had some help from Tamsin. I told her to use her skills in interior design. And she delivered. It was her first project, excluding her own room."

"Right. Maybe Kenzi should also ask some help from Tamsin. Her room was suffocating, too much stuff. So I rarely go there now." He sat at Bo's couch.

"Tamsin already offered Pops and she refused. She said she could do it on her own. I also told her to bring down the piano. We have space in the living room. She won't budge. Maybe she still doesn't want that piano to be separated from her." Bo stood up and sat down beside her grandfather.

Trick nodded. "I think so too. It's the last gift that her parents gave to her before they died. Well, enough of that stuff."

"You keep on using the word 'stuff'. It's not so 'you'." Bo laughed.

Trick laughed. "Oh I just heard it from Kenzi and Nate. You know that I wanted to learn these new words that youths like you utter nowadays." He suddenly became serious. "Ysabeau, the reason why I sought you out this morning was I wanted to speak to you about some important matters."

"That sounded so serious Pops. What's going on? Are you okay?" Bo suddenly panicked.

Trick suddenly felt guilty. He reached out to Bo's hand and held it. "No, no Ysabeau. It's not about me. Don't panic. It's about the business."

Bo let out a huge breath. "Okay, I thought there's something wrong with you. You know that I would do anything just to be sure you're okay."

"I know that Ysabeau." He softly tapped her hand. "So can we talk about it over breakfast? I cooked waffles, lots of bacon, pancakes and cheese omelets."

"Wow, I'm suddenly hungry." Bo smiled. "Okay Pops, I'll just do my morning routine and I'll go down as soon as possible."

"Okay, I'll wait downstairs."

Bo went to her bathroom and pulled off her clothes. She realized she hadn't take a shower before she slept so she went ahead and did that. While she was putting back her clothes, she realized she haven't eaten anything since the Dunkin Donut dinner in the station.

She went downstairs to the smell of fried bacon. She smiled at her grandfather. "Thanks Pops for cooking breakfast. I just realized that the last meal that I had was almost 12 hours ago."

"Okay so eat while we talk. I also made coffee." He looked at Bo. "Ysabeau, since we were the only adults here in the family we need to make some decisions with the bar. You were aware that lots of new establishments were turning up here, especially around the New Haven Green. So I'm thinking about expanding the business. Throughout the years, The Dal Riata had attracted different kinds of clientele. They were very loyal and made the business prosper among other establishments. But we need to inject some new things into ours."

"Like what Pops?"

"Well for one, I don't want it to be just a bar where everyone or anyone can drink anything they want. I want it to be a place where friends or colleagues can meet any time, either for business meetings or social gatherings."

Bo thought for a while. "I think we need to offer some kind of entertainment. DJ booth? Bands? And we need to offer food Pops. So you wanted it to be a restaurant and bar with entertainment?"

The old man nodded. "That's the only way to go. The place was huge and all but we haven't use the second floor that much. We just store the boxes, kegs and other supplies there and nothing else."

"So if we are going to make the second floor as the dining area, where will the boxes, kegs and other supplies go?"

"I'll give up my room in the basement, but not the office. I'll start sleeping in my room again here in the house." Trick smiled.

"That's doable. But the real challenge here Pops are the people we need to take on – cooks, waiters/servers, DJs, bands, dishwashers, etc. And we need to renovate the second floor. Of course, since we are adding a restaurant to our establishment, we need to buy everything from the cooking wares, plates, etc. Wait, are we okay financially?" Bo started arranging her food into her plate.

"That's the part where we won't encounter any problem Ysabeau. I already called our lawyer and accountant just to be sure. Mr. Burns, our accountant, specifically told me that financially we can do the expansion." Trick winked.

"Then we're good. When are we going to start the renovation?"

"As soon as we have the design for the restaurant. I think while the renovation is going on, we will start the hiring process. The cooks, waiters/servers, dishwashers, etc. – you can leave them to me. But the DJs, bands, etc. – I don't know anything about them so can you please ask Kenzi and Tamsin's help regarding those? And maybe Nate and Hale also. Surely you know something about them."

"Yeah sure Pops, no problem." Bo nodded. "Maybe we can have Tamsin do a design for the restaurant. It is the right time for her to gain experience, isn't it?"

"I agree. We can also compensate her for it."

"Good idea. I'll let her know. Hmm these are good," she said while munching on the bacon. "If the two other occupants of this house don't wake up in 30 minutes or so, I'll be eating all of these."

Trick laughed. "I'm surprised they didn't wake up while..." They heard two pairs of feet trudging down the stairs. "Oh there you are! Come sit and eat breakfast." He saw the bruise on Tamsin's chin. "Tamsin, what happened?"

"Oh hi Trick, I didn't know you're here. Well I just got in between spats of ex and current boyfriends, no big deal."

Trick shook his head. "But there's Bruce and Steve!"

"It happened so fast and it was near my station so..."

"... you blocked your face? Not a wise move Tam Tam." Kenzi said while munching on a large piece of bacon.

"Hey, don't speak while you're eating." Trick admonished. Tamsin stuck her tongue out at Kenzi.

"Sorry Pops, I'm just so so hungry." Kenzi whined. "But I'm still a little bit sleepy."

"What time did you sleep last night?" Trick asked.

"Well uhm..." Kenzi both looked at Bo and Tamsin. Both just shrugged. When help was not coming, she started apologizing to Trick. "I'm so sorry Pops. I went to sleep around 4 o'clock in the morning."

"Pops let me explain." Bo intervened. "I went home at about 2 o'clock in the morning. Then Tamsin shouldn't be home by then but because of what happened, Bruce let her off. When I got here, Kenzi was still up and the three of us went to my room. I looked at Tamsin's bruise and we talked for a while."

"But you went out early yesterday morning, didn't you?"

"Hale and I got a huge case Pops. We were ready to go home when a 911 call was dispatched to the station and we were assigned to respond."

Trick shook his head. "What's the case?"

Bo told Trick about the case.

The old man nodded. "You were right Ysabeau. The suspect will be disbarred as soon as the authorities proved that he and the victim were married. Actually, even if they were not married his license to practice law will be revoked because aggravated assault is a type of felony." He thought for a while. "And your case can be decided on circumstantial evidences unless the victim will pull out of her unconsciousness. And pray that she will not succumb to coma."

"Pops I agree but did jurisprudence teach us that for circumstantial evidence to be sufficient to support a conviction, all circumstances must be consistent with each other, consistent with the hypothesis that the accused is guilty, and at the same time inconsistent with the hypothesis that he is innocent?"

Trick smiled. "That's correct. Take note that sometimes, circumstantial evidence is more powerful than a direct evidence. Circumstantial evidence based on a witness' testimony, forensic evidence like the fingerprints, etc. are powerful enough to close a case but should be consistent. So Ysabeau, you and Hale must protect your witnesses at all cost. It won't be beneficial for the police and the witnesses to be exposed when there's no need to bring them out into the open."

"Ugh lawyerly talks gave me headaches. Don't worry Pops, Bo is already very protective of the witness." Kenzi smiled wickedly. Tamsin snickered.

Bo gave them the stink eyes.

"Oh, how well did you know the witness?" Trick asked.

Bo cleared her throat. "I met her a year ago. And then last night, coincidentally she was the 911 caller."

"Were you dating the witness Ysabeau?" Her grandfather asked.

She was caught off guard by the question. "What? No Pops. Geesh. How can I date her when we didn't see each other for a year?!"

"But Trick, she really wanted to. She really liked her." Tamsin pointed out.

"Okay, hold on. I can't understand. Can someone explain it to me?" Trick asked. "Kenzi?"

"Here it goes Pops. Bo and the witness met a year ago when she and Hale were in another case. The first meet-up was so short they haven't had the time to introduce themselves to each other. Then moving forward last night, they met again. And the sparks flew." Kenzi explained.

Trick looked at Bo strangely.

"Pops, why are you looking at me like that? I've done nothing wrong." Bo asked defensively.

The old man frowned and raised an eyebrow. "When can I meet her?"

"What? Why should you meet her?" Bo was flustered with Trick's questions regarding Lauren. "She may think other things."

"What things Ysabeau? You were acting strangely once I asked you about her. What's her name?"

"Why? Why do you need to know her name Pops?"

"Because I wanted to know the name of the woman who was the cause of your strange reactions."

Kenzi raised her hand. "Pops I can give you the name!"

"Shhh Kenzi, I want it to come from Ysabeau." Trick looked at Bo. "The name?"

Bo whispered Lauren's name.

"I'm kind of deaf right now. Louder please."

Bo sighed. "It's Dr. Lauren Lewis."

"Wow, a doctor? Wait, Lauren Lewis? The name sounds familiar to me."

"How Pops? When? Why?"

Trick laughed. "Ysabeau, calm down. I won't remember it if you will ask me so many questions."

Tamsin and Kenzi were laughing at the police officer.

"Oh my God Bo, I've never seen you like this. You're like a love struck teenager. You're worse than Kenzi and..." Tamsin stopped when Kenzi glared at her.

"It will come to me." Trick frowned. "So just eat your breakfast, the three of you." He drank his coffee. "I need to attend to some matters Ysabeau. Explain what we have talked about to Kenzi and Tamsin."

"But Pops..."

"I can't think now. But as soon as I remember, I will tell you okay? Your Pops' memory was not as sharp as before. Will you be here later at dinner?"

"I'm not sure. Hale will pick me up after lunch. We'll be going to the hospital and check on the victim. We will conduct other interviews as well. Then we'll report at the station."

"Okay, be careful. See you tomorrow. And Ysabeau, you know your heart. It will tell you what you want to know. Always." Trick winked.

Bo sighed. "See you tomorrow Pops. I love you. Thanks for cooking breakfast." She kissed her grandfather's cheek.

"I love you too Ysabeau."

"Thanks Trick." "Thanks Pops." Kenzi and Tamsin hollered.

"You're welcome my dears."

She looked at the back of her grandfather retreating to the back door. She turned to Tamsin and Kenzi. "So, let's talk about what Pops and I were talking about this morning." She popped a piece of bacon into her mouth. "The Dal Riata will expand into a bar and restaurant. The second floor will be converted into a dining area. The stuff that were normally stored there will be transferred to the basement. Pops' basement room will be converted into the storage area as well but his office will remain.

"So he will now sleep here in his room?" Kenzi asked.

"Yeah. And Tam, Pops would also like to have you design the restaurant. He said he will compensate you for it."

"There's no need for that Bo. I will do it for free."

"Tam, no. You went to school to finish your degree. You earned it so might as well start making money out of it. Do it on your free time." Bo insisted.

"Okay I will. Thanks." Tamsin smiled.

"Then of course, we need to think of the entertainment. I told Pops we'll need DJs, bands, etc. What do you think?"

"Both were good ideas. We need to put ads. And then have them go to the bar and audition. We can watch, be the judge ourselves. I think we need to carefully choose the ones that will cater to our needs." Kenzi pointed out.

"I agree. Hey I remember you said that Nate has his own band? Why don't you tell him about it? He may be interested." Bo asked Kenzi.

"Yeah I will ask him." Kenzi nodded. "Looks like we are all going to be busy before the year ends huh?"

"Yeah looks like it." Bo agreed. "Hey how's our birthday surprise on Sunday? Are we good or the two of you need anything else from me?"

Kenzi shook her head. "We nailed it Bo. You have nothing to worry about. We already planned it for a long time."

"Okay, just checking. Thank you to the both of you. I hope Pops will love our surprise." She looked at her watch.

Tamsin looked at Bo. "What time will Hale pick you up?"

"Well we need to be at the police station at one 'clock in the afternoon. So maybe after lunch. I need to text him just to be sure. Why did you ask?"

"It's only 10 o'clock. Still have so much time to spare. So tell us what you forgot to talk about last night."

Bo was incredulous. "What are you talking about? The two of you were being nosey." She put out her cellphone and texted Hale. "I already told about everything last night so I have nothing to tell you now. And besides, why am I the only who had to share?" She looked at Tamsin. "You, tell us about your..." She realized what she's asking about. "No, never mind."

"That's ewwww Bo!" Kenzi frowned. "And the reason why we are bugging you is because you've been searching for Lauren for over a year and then suddenly you found her. We just wanted to check if both your mind and heart are okay, that you are not freaking out."

"I am freaking out, especially here." Bo tapped the area where her heart is. "I'm just not dwelling on it. Because if I do, I'll be a mess. And I don't want to be a mess especially when I'm in her presence."

"Awwwww. So this means you really like her?"

"Isn't it obvious? I really really really like her."

Kenzi sighed and looked at Tamsin.

"We heard it loud and clear Bo." Tamsin winked. "So echoing Trick's question, when can we meet her?"

Bo rolled her eyes. "I don't know. Maybe one of these days..."

"I have an idea!" Kenzi quipped. "If we are going to push through the expansion, there will be auditions right? Why not invite her and Vex? It will be fun."

"It depends on her schedule."

"We will find time for her. Don't tell me you don't want to see her more. Or invite them tomorrow for Pops' birthday, so he can finally meet her you know."

"Fine. I'll ask her." Her phone beeped. "Wait, this may be Hale." She opened her phone and read the message. Her heart beat faster when she saw who sent her the text. She can't fight the smile that suddenly appeared on her face. The text message was:

 **Hi Bo! Good morning. I was about to say sorry about the drunken text jokes but Vex told me that you found them funny. I wasn't expecting that. And I also didn't expect the jokes that you sent me. I found them funny as well. Thank you for making me laugh. It was weird knowing that we have the same sense of humor but grateful that I'm not alone. See you soon Bo. Take care. ;)**

"Who was it?"

Bo cleared her throat. "It was Hale. He said that he was already awake and he will text me if he's on his way."

Kenzi raised her eyebrow. "Then why are you smiling like that?"

"The possibility of seeing Lauren later made me smile." Suddenly, her phone alerted her that someone was calling. It was Hale. "Hey, why are you calling? I just received your text."

 ** _"What are you talking about? I just woke up and saw your text. Listen Bo, I'll pick you up after lunch."_**

"Exactly Hale. And we are going to see Vex and Lauren later right?"

 ** _"How did you know that? You are making my head hurt."_**

"I am not. So I'll see you later okay? Bye, drive safely."

 ** _"You'll explain this later. Can we take your truck? Mine went straight to a tree near our house. I need to bring it to repair shop. There's a slight kink on the right side of the bumper."_**

"When did this happen Hale? Are you okay?"

 ** _"Just this morning after I dropped you off. I might have slept while driving. I am okay Bo. I was just shaken off. I stopped the car before it slammed hard to the tree. No one saw what happened."_**

"Thank God nothing bad happened to you. See you later partner."

Bo sighed.

Kenzi was slightly agitated. "Bo what happened to Hale?"

"After he dropped me off, he might have slept while driving so his car went straight to a tree. He was just shaken off and the right side bumper of his car had a slight kink. He's okay."

"I need to check with him. Bummer, my phone was upstairs. Be right back." Kenzi hurriedly went to her room.

Tamsin looked at Bo. "Was Hale really okay? Kenzi may be overreacting."

Bo nodded. "He sounded okay. And Hale won't lie to me." She looked down and frowned. She looked at Tamsin again and asked, "Was the thing between her and Nate serious?"

Tamsin shrugged. "Well from what I saw, they were very sweet."

"How sweet? Holding hands? Standing near to each other?"

"No, tonsil hockey."

Bo smacked Tamsin at the back of her head. "What?! So you are telling me this now?"

"Ouch Bo! Can you lower your voice? Of course I won't tell you in front of Kenzi."

"Where did this happen? In front of all the people at the bar?"

"Of course not! It was outside, near the stairs leading up to the second floor."

"So it was not serious."

"What? How did you know that?"

Bo shook her head. "Who would do that to a person you are serious with? Making out at the back alley?"

"I'm not the best person to answer your questions Bo."

"When was this?"

"It was two days ago."

"So the relationship was fairly new?"

"I think so."

"How was Nate? I didn't know him well."

"He's a good guy Bo. I've been working with him for two years and Trick trusts him. I think what's happening between him and Kenzi was intense, mainly because the relationship is new."

"And you know this because?"

"Well I read it somewhere?"

Bo laughed. "You're not sure?" Tamsin didn't answer so she didn't push. "Alright. I'm just concerned because you know Hale liked Kenzi very much. And I just can't tell him about this thing between Nate and Kenzi."

"I know. Hale's a good guy. You've been working with him for two years and you trust him implicitly. Sounds familiar?" Tamsin laughed.

"So you think Kenzi already chose Nate over Hale?"

"Did Hale tell Kenzi about his feelings?"

"I don't think so."

"There you go."

"So how can you explain Kenzi's reaction to Hale's accident?"

"Not a clue Bo. I told you I'm not the best person to answer your questions Bo." Tamsin shrugged. "You need to ask Kenzi."

"I don't need that conversation now." Bo frowned.

"Talk to Kenzi. I'll clean up here and you talk to her. Go!"

"There's no time like the present. Okay I'll talk to her. Thanks for cleaning up." Bo walked up the stairs until she stood in front of Kenzi's room. She knocked on the door and heard Kenzi's permission for her to enter.

"What's up Bo?"

"I wanted to ask you about your relationship with Nate, Kenzi. Is it serious?"

"Wow asking the most difficult question first! Is this an interrogation?"

"No. I'm just concerned Kenzi. You are like my little sister, you and Tamsin."

Kenzi sighed. "All I know was that we are starting a relationship. It being serious will depend on the two of us. He asked my permission to date him and I said yes. So if we are going to label our relationship, we can say that we are dating."

"Exclusively?"

"Yes we are exclusively dating."

"Good. I thought this would be a difficult conversation."

"Bo, I have nothing to hide."

"Okay Kenzi. Thank you for being very open with me. Let's maintain this kind of open communication." Bo wanted to ask about her reaction to Hale's accident but she changed her mind. She won't push Kenzi.

"No problem Bo. Just don't forget my Lauren updates okay?" Kenzi wiggled her eyebrows.

Bo snorted. "Of course you will say that." Her phone suddenly rang. She looked at the screen and saw Sergeant Smith is calling. "Kenzi, I need to take this. Talk to you again very soon okay?" She answered the phone.

"Hi Sergeant Smith sir, good morning."

 ** _"Good morning Officer Dennis. I need you and Officer Santiago now! We are going to conduct a briefing about the case. We receive a call from the hospital. Dr. Nadia Woods is now awake and conscious. You and Santiago need to go the hospital immediately after the briefing."_**

"Okay sir. I will call Santiago immediately and we'll be there as soon as possible."

 _ **"See you Officer Dennis."**_

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 **Author's Note: Please read and review. Thank you. I'm on Twitter.**

 **Twitter Name: WonderChaser**


	7. Chapter 7 - Fall 2006

**Author's Note: I know it's been a while. I planned to upload this one last week but I didn't. I thought I would finish this one and the next chapter at the same time but unfortunately, life and work intervened. I think this might be another filler but at least the case is moving. Hope you like it. Still, thanks for the reviews, favorites and follows. Please bear with me. Sometimes, I am still overwhelmed that I finally had the guts to write this story.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Lost Girl and the characters. I just used them for my story.**

 **Trigger Warning: Some parts of this chapter will describe scenes of physical abuse so I changed the rating to M.**

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 **Chapter Seven**

Bo called Hale and told him about the sergeant's call. After 30 minutes, the two police officers were already inside Bo's truck and was cruising the road to the police station.

"So did you tell Kenzi and Tamsin about Dr. Lewis?" Hale teased.

She nodded. "I didn't tell them everything. I want to put a semblance of privacy and mystery around Lauren for now. But Kenzi googled her and found out some interesting facts."

"Care to share partner?"

"Well since the information was from Google, yeah sure. The link that Kenzi found was from the Yale University website. It was a citation where it was indicated that Lauren got her pre-med degree in 1999 when she was only 20 years old. She graduated as summa cum laude and got the highest mark among the graduates majoring in the natural sciences and mathematics. Besides being the most intelligent among her peers, she was also an outstanding athlete. She was a varsity in distance running. So in other words, she's simply perfect."

"At least in your eyes." Hale looked at Bo and smiled. "Can't fault you for really liking her. You may love her even."

Bo didn't reply.

"Silence means either you are agreeing with me or you don't know what you really feel."

She smiled. "It means no comment."

Hale narrowed his eyes and stared at her. "Alright I get it. You don't want to talk about it."

She nodded and looked away.

"If you are ready to talk, I'm right here." He saw her nod again and decided to change the topic. "So what did the sergeant tell you when he called?"

"He said that he received a call from the hospital. Nadia has woken up."

"Thank God. But the question is, is she strong enough to answer our questions?"

"I hope so. The case could be solved much sooner if we could talk to her as soon as possible. And take note, we have until 9 o'clock in the evening before Percy Saunders can be released."

Hale looked at his watch. "So we barely have 10 hours to do what we have to do."

Suddenly, they heard Bo's phone ringing. Sergeant Smith's name registered on the screen.

Bo answered her phone. The sergeant's voice was not as calm when he called earlier that morning.

 ** _"_** ** _Dennis, you and Santiago should go to the hospital right now. A lawyer came and demanded to see Percy Saunders. He said he was sent by the family but Saunders was adamant that he'll represent himself and he doesn't need his family's help. So now they are inside the room where the suspect was detained. They argued but we need to watch over them so that they wouldn't come to blows. I need the two of you to talk with the victim's attending physician. Ask her if you could get a statement from Dr. Woods. If you are done, go to Dr. Ellis' office. He's the department head of Dr. Lewis and the victim. He called and said that he will be on his office until around 1 o'clock in the afternoon."_**

"Got it Sergeant Smith."

 ** _"_** ** _The Department of Genetics is on the second floor of the hospital. He said to ask directions from the nurse station."_**

"Okay sir. We will do that."

 ** _"_** ** _Good luck Dennis. Call me if you need help."_**

Bo u-turned the truck and checked the sideway mirror for other vehicles.

"What's up?" Hale asked.

"A lawyer came to see Saunders at the station. Apparently, the family sent him. But Saunders refused. He really wanted to represent himself."

"You know, it was ballsy of him to do that. He knew that it was a bad strategy to represent himself. A good lawyer should know that." Hale pointed out.

"Maybe he was not so okay in the brain department. What else would motivate him to do that?"

"We'll soon find out."

Bo maneuvered the truck through the traffic. "By the way, we also need to talk to Lauren and Nadia's department head. He's in the hospital until one in the afternoon. He was the one who met the EMTs that brought the victim to the ER last night. And take note, he's also the one who implored Lauren to check on Nadia."

"Oh so you're going to thank him for that huh?" Hale teased her.

Bo breathed out heavily.

"Right. We won't talk about that. Got it partner." Hale raised his hands defensively. He sighed. "Kenzi called me this morning and asked me what the fuck happened to me."

"She really said that word?"

"Yeah. I don't understand Bo. She seemed angry when we talked. We were okay when we last saw each other."

"I don't know Hale. Did you ask her why?"

"No. My mind was still foggy with lack of sleep and the accident so I just told her I'm okay and she didn't have to worry."

"Then ask her the next time you see her."

Hale stared at her. He looked like he wanted to say something but changed his mind. He looked away.

"What's on your mind partner? Something's bothering you."

"It was just I remembered the talk I had with my mother last week. She asked me about my plans for the next 5 years. I told her that I'll strive to become a detective or maybe move up the ranks to sergeant. She smiled and said that they are good plans but she reminded me of my father's plans for me."

"He still want you to go back to school and be a lawyer?"

Hale nodded. "And then once I become a lawyer, I will run for a public office."

"And you don't like it."

"I hate it Bo. I'm not like him. I just really want to be a policeman. My mother supports me but my father said that our family has a long line of politicians since our elders established their families here in New Haven and we should follow that tradition. I hate that I don't have a say about it."

"What about your other siblings?"

Hale laughed humorlessly. "Leonard was already working in the city's health department. Valerie's in her last year of school but is active under the city's Youth Services Bureau."

"Tell him that you are already working for the city government. Your job is important for the security of all the men and women of New Haven. Isn't that enough?"

Hale shook his head. "I'll tell you a secret Bo. My father will be running for mayor in the next five years or so and he wants me to be his chief of staff."

"Wow you're not kidding. That's a heavy burden to impose on you Hale." She thought for a second. "Don't think I've noticed but we were talking about Kenzi then you jumped to your five-year plans. Is she part of it?"

"I wish."

She nodded. She wanted to tell Hale about Kenzi and Nate but she knew it's not her place to do it. She saw that they were already approaching the hospital so she released the breath she didn't know she had been holding. "We're here. We will talk about that later if you want to okay? I'm also here for you Hale."

"I know. Let's go."

Both officers rode the elevator to the patients' rooms at the fourth floor. They were told that Nadia's room was on Room 409 but they need to see the attending physician first. They went to the nurses' station and introduced themselves.

Bo spoke first. "Hi good morning..." She looked at the nurse's name plate. "... Nurse Henderson. I'm Officer Ysabeau Dennis and this is my partner Officer Hale Santiago of the New Haven Police Department. We are here to get a statement from one of your patients that was brought here last night by EMTs."

Nurse Henderson looked up and asked, "What was the name of the patient Officer Dennis?"

"Dr. Nadia Woods."

The nurse's face suddenly became sad upon hearing the name. "Oh yeah, I heard about Dr. Woods."

"It seems that you were affected with what happened to her." Bo pointed out.

"Of course. She was a co-employee and..." She leaned and lowered her voice. "... this was not the first time that Dr. Woods became a patient here. I was on duty the last two times when she was hospitalized for the same reason."

Bo raised her eyebrow. That remark definitely confirmed the neighbors' statements that whatever happened last night was not the first incident of violence in the Woods-Saunders household.

"I'm telling you the truth officer." Nurse Henderson protested.

Bo sighed. "I can tell it in your eyes Nurse Henderson and I'm sorry if you misinterpreted my reaction. But we are doing this by the book. We are going to request the hospital records for those times that she was hospitalized."

"Of course officer. I could help you with that. You can also get my statement if you want. Us women should stick together you know. We should not tolerate these kinds of maltreatment that we receive from these insufferable men." She gave Hale a mean stink eye.

"Whoa! I'm not one of those Nurse Henderson. Trust me. Women should be respected and loved, not abused. I agree with you on that." He winked.

She smiled. "Okay. So you can talk to me later but now, you need to talk to her attending physician first. We received the call from a Sergeant Caleb Smith. The victim's doctor is Dr. Patricia Holland. And she was on her office right now. Her office is on Room 245. She's waiting for you. I'll be here until 5 o'clock in the afternoon officers. And then Dr. Ellis was also on the same floor. He's on Room 217. Now go!"

"Thank you Nurse Henderson." Bo smiled. "We'll be right back."

They rode the elevator down to the second floor and followed the directions to the Dr. Holland's office. Hale knocked and opened the door when they heard a silvery voice telling them to come in. The officers immediately entered and stood in front of the doctor's table. The woman behind the table was quite old but with a pleasant demeanor.

"Good morning Dr. Holland. I am Police Officer Hale Santiago and this is my partner Police Officer Ysabeau Dennis. We are here to talk to you regarding Dr. Nadia Woods."

She sighed. "I am expecting you officers. Please sit down. Do you want any drinks?"

"No doctor. Thank you." Hale shook his head. "Do you mind doctor if we record this interview?"

"It is okay officers. I received a call from Sergeant Smith and requested me to assist you on your investigation."

Hale nodded and started the recorder. "This is Police Officer Hale Santiago of NHPD. With me is my partner Police Officer Ysabeau Dennis. Today is September 16, 2006 at 11:05 o'clock in the morning. We are currently in the office of Dr. Patricia Holland, Room 245 of the Yale New Haven Hospital. Doctor, please state your full name, home address and occupation."

"I am Patricia Holland and currently residing at 123 Ogden St. New Haven CT. I am a wound care specialist here in Yale New Haven Hospital."

"Please spell your name for the record doctor."

"P-A-T-R-I-C-I-A-H-O-L-L-A-N-D"

"Thank you Dr. Holland. Now, please explain your relationship with the victim, Dr. Nadia Woods."

"I am her attending physician."

"Please tell us the events that followed when you received the call that Dr. Woods was on her way to the ER."

"Dr. Albert Ellis, Dr. Woods' boss met me at the ER and waited for the ambulance that brought her to the hospital. After 10 minutes, the ambulance came and I supervised her treatment and care from that time on."

"How do you feel when you received the call?"

Dr. Holland leaned back to her chair. "To tell you frankly officers, I was not shocked when Dr. Ellis told me that Dr. Woods was on her way to the ER last night. It was her third this year. But this was the worst because she was unconscious. She was hurt and broken in the first two but at least she's conscious."

"So you were also the attending physician on the first two, doctor?" Hale asked.

"Yes I was. That's the reason why Dr. Ellis called me as soon as the news of what happened to her reached him."

"Can you tell us when this first two incidents happened?"

"Not only I can tell you but I can also show you. I already retrieved the hospital records for the first two incidents for your perusal."

Dr. Holland gave the hospital records to Hale. Hale scanned the documents and hand them over to Bo. "Be it recorded that Dr. Holland gave us the hospital records of Dr. Woods' previous trips to the ER here in the same hospital."

Bo checked the dates.

"The first incident was February 15 and the second was May 22. We knew the third was yesterday, which is September 15. For now, I can't see a pattern on why the incidents happened on the dates mentioned." Bo pointed out. "Dr. Holland, did Dr. Woods tell you anything about these dates?"

She thought for a while and looked at Bo, understanding what the officer was asking. "Look at the hospital records officer. And then find Dr. Woods' date of birth."

Bo looked and nodded. "Her date of birth is May 21. Now there's a possible pattern."

Hale frowned and asked. "What pattern?"

"The first happened the day after Valentine's Day while the second was after her birthday. We need to find out the significance of September 14."

"So you're thinking that the suspect was doing this to her because of the significance of these dates to the victim?" He asked.

"Yes. Or maybe to the suspect too. Doctor Holland, can you say that based on the treatment and care you had given the patient on the past two incidents that the third incident was the worst?"

"I can say that, yes."

"Why?" Bo asked.

"The extensive injuries, the quantity of the wounds - it was like he wanted to punish her thoroughly. The only parts of her body that were not covered with wounds were the scalp and neck. And I found another thing that was different this time." She looked at Bo and Hale. "She was found fully clothed, correct?" Bo nodded. "When she reached the ER, I was puzzled at first because her clothing had cuts but they were few. So when I had to examine the wounds, I found them all over her torso and limbs. They were bloody, thick and fresh."

Bo gasped. "Doctor, are you telling us that Dr. Woods was naked when she was being flogged? And then he clothed her and beat her again?"

"Unfortunately, that was my conclusion based on my thorough examination of the wounds."

"So there's something about September 14 that was different from the other dates. That could be the trigger the suspect needed to escalate his assault of Dr. Woods." Bo pointed out.

"Dr. Holland, on the previous instances that the victim was physically abused, she was fully clothed when he beat her?" Hale asked.

"Yes Officer Santiago. It was also confirmed by the victim at those times. Remember, she was conscious."

Hale looked at Bo. Bo breathed deeply. "Doctor, did Dr. Woods tell you who was beating her?"

"Yes she did."

"Can you tell us who did it?"

"Of course. She said it was her husband who beat her for both times."

"And what is her husband's name?"

"His name is Percy Saunders."

"She openly admitted her relationship with Mr. Percy Saunders to you?"

"Yes. In fact, she also told me that Mr. Saunders was a lawyer."

"Do you know why the victim was open to you about her husband?"

"Maybe because before she became my patient, I was one of her professors when she was studying medicine in Yale. And besides she's one of my colleagues now."

"That's good to know doctor."

The doctor thought for a while and blurted, "Officers, is it true that Dr. Lauren Lewis was your witness?"

"Off the record?" Hale looked at Bo, waiting for her signal. Bo nodded. Hale turned off the recorder.

"It was Dr. Lauren Lewis." Hale answered.

"So Dr. Ellis is not pulling my leg after all." She laughed softly. "I can't believe it when he told me he persuaded Dr. Lewis to check on Dr. Woods." She looked at the officers. "They were both my students and I can say that they didn't have the best of relationships. But they were civil. I think one of the reasons why Dr. Lewis didn't like Dr. Woods much was because of their contradicting work ethics. Lauren was always focused while Nadia was a little scatterbrained. Lauren avoided Nadia like a plague in their laboratory classes."

 _So maybe she didn't know the bullying incident._ Bo cleared her throat.

Dr. Holland continued her narrative. "Lauren was the most intelligent student that I ever had. So that was a deadly combination – highly intelligent and focused. As I told you, I didn't believe that Albert did it. But I thought that Lauren is not only cerebral, she's also a compassionate person. Albert appealed to the softer side of her personality, her heart. Every attending physician here in this hospital wanted Lauren Lewis to be their resident including me but alas, her heart is in Genetics. Albert Ellis won." She smiled.

Bo smirked at the doctor's statement. She can feel the doctor is really proud of Lauren, her former student. She was suddenly aware of Hale looking at her like she was weird or something. She then realized that Dr. Holland asked a question directly to her.

"Did Dr. Lewis tell you that Dr. Woods was her classmate in the medical school, Officer Dennis?"

"No doctor. It didn't come up during our interview with Dr. Lewis. But we knew that they were both in the same residency program." Bo answered.

Dr. Holland nodded. She was about to speak when they heard someone knocking at the door. After the third knock, it was opened and a tall and handsome man in a scrub suit entered the office.

"Ooops sorry Dr. Holland, I didn't know that you have company. But can I speak to you for a second please?"

"Dr. Carlo, come inside. I want you to meet the police officers who are in charge of finding out what happened to Dr. Woods. Officers, this is Dr. Adam Carlo. He's an Emergency Medicine resident and a former classmate of Dr. Woods in the medical school as well. How can I help you Dr. Carlo?"

"Uhmm…" The younger doctor frowned.

The older doctor sighed. "Dr. Carlo, if it's about Dr. Woods you can ask me in front of these good officers."

He cleared his throat and said, "I just want to know how Nadia is doing Dr. Holland. I got the news from one of my fellow residents this morning."

"Although she was unconscious when she was brought to the ER last night, she's now okay Adam."

"Did you say unconscious Dr. Holland? How… why… what happened?" Bo and Hale noticed that the younger doctor was caught off guard by the news.

"The police were still investigating about that. Right now, let's focus on Dr. Woods' care and treatment."

"Of course Dr. Holland. I apologize for my outburst." He looked at the police officers. "I hope you give Nadia the justice she deserves officers."

"We are doing the best we can Dr. Carlo. Do you mind if we ask you some questions?" Bo asked.

"Sure. Fire away Officer…" He looked at Bo's nameplate. "… Dennis." He smiled sweetly at her.

Bo raised her eyebrow. "How well do you know Dr. Woods?"

"Well, Nadia and I were classmates in Yale from our pre-med studies up until medical school. So we can say we are close friends. We got separated when she chose Genetics as her specialty rather than Emergency Medicine as we have agreed before. But I didn't take that against Nadia. She was quite smitten with Dr. Lewis during medical school. So maybe she thought if she followed Lauren in Genetics, Lauren would change her mind in rejecting Nadia's advances."

Bo tried hiding her shock but Hale noticed it. "What do you mean by that Dr. Carlo?" Hale asked.

"Nadia confessed to Lauren that she was in love with her but Lauren rejected her several times. I knew this because Nadia had been going to me crying and devastated every time."

"That's quite a mouthful Dr. Carlo." Bo commented. "How will that help our case?"

The doctor didn't notice the sarcastic tone the question was delivered with. "I just want you to know how close I am to Dr. Woods."

"I don't think your story about Dr. Lewis' rejection of Dr. Woods was necessary to the case Dr. Carlo." Dr. Holland said, disappointment evident in her face. "And besides, you and I know that Dr. Lewis won't change her mind about Dr. Woods. You were there. After what she did to her!"

Dr. Carlo opened his mouth and looked ashamed. "I'm so sorry about that Dr. Holland."

Bo turned to the older doctor. "You knew about what happened before?"

"Of course Officer Dennis. I've been with Yale for how many years now. I really made efforts to know my students well."

Dr. Carlo stared at them. "What happened before?"

"If Dr. Woods didn't tell you then I can't tell you doctor. It's her story to tell." The older doctor gave him the stink eye.

 _Strike two._ Bo smirked. The younger doctor frowned.

"If you really are close to Dr. Woods, do you know that she has a husband?" Hale asked.

"Yeah, I knew about him. It's Percy Saunders. He's a lawyer."

"Do you know what he is doing to her?"

"She told me about the first two trips to ER. I was actually the one who went to her house to get her and bring her here in the hospital."

"Interesting. Did you see Percy Saunders when you were there to get her?"

"No officers. Nadia told me that he went to their basement so I acted quickly and got her to my car and I brought her here." He looked at the older doctor. "That's why I was shocked when you said that she was unconscious last night. That didn't happen before."

"Dr. Carlo, do you know the significance of September 14 to Dr. Woods?" Bo asked.

He looked at her and answered, "It was my birthday Officer Dennis."

The other three people in the room looked at each other, thinking about the theory they formed earlier about the dates.

"You are looking at each other like you know something that I didn't. What is it?" asked Dr. Carlo.

Bo nodded to Hale.

"Dr. Carlo, the dates of Dr. Woods' to the ER were February 15, May 22 and September 15. We formed a theory based on those dates and we concluded that the suspect was doing bad things to her the day after a significant date to the victim." Hale said.

"That's a good theory officers and I will make it better. February 14 was not just the typical Valentine's Day for them. It's their wedding anniversary." He pointed out.

"So it holds the theory?" Bo asked. "Now doctor, why do you think your birthday was significant? You did not deny or you did not try to take away yourself from all of this, knowing about our theory."

"I don't know…"

"Don't patronize us doctor, you know why. You were consistently helpful and utterly tactless a while ago, now you don't know? I don't think so." Bo shook her head.

"Tell them what you know Adam. You already inserted yourself into the investigation. Why don't you give your all? Besides, this is for Nadia." Dr. Holland told the younger doctor.

"Alright. Nadia told me that her husband was jealous of me. But she told him that I was just a friend. But he didn't believe her."

"Where were you on your birthday doctor?"

"I was out celebrating with Nadia. Why would you… oh! So there's a possibility that he saw us that night? But we were with a company of friends, we're not the only ones there."

"He saw you or someone told him. But he didn't care about that Dr. Carlo. Maybe he's so jealous he can't see that you're with your friends. For him, Nadia was there with you and no one else." Hale pointed out.

"So you're saying what happened to Nadia was my fault?" His eyes burned with anger.

Dr. Holland stood up and went in front of the younger doctor. "Hold your anger Dr. Carlo. It's clouding your judgment. The good officers were not insinuating that it's your fault. What I heard was it's the fault of the suspect, not yours. So simmer down that anger. Or I'll kick you out of this room."

He held his hands up and said, "Sorry doctor. Sorry officers." He looked at Bo and Hale.

"Did he know about Dr. Woods' wooing of Dr. Lewis? Was he ever jealous of Dr. Lewis?" Bo asked.

"I don't think so. Besides, Lauren only talked to Nadia if necessary. Lauren avoided Nadia like a plague. She also had someone sticking up to her, Dr. Ciara Adkins. She's also our classmate in medical school. There's no way Dr. Lewis would be caught with Nadia in public." He explained.

"Dr. Carlo, one of these days if we needed your testimony is it okay if we invite you in the police station so we can get your official statement?" Bo asked. Then she looked at the older doctor. "Dr. Holland, as we have recorded yours, is it okay if we come back here and make you sign your official statement?"

"That's fine with me Officer Dennis. Dr. Carlo?" asked the older doctor.

"Yeah sure, anything that can help Nadia's case. Let me give you my calling card. I will write my personal cellphone number at the back of the card Officer Dennis. Call me anytime." He winked at her.

She scowled at him and gave the card to Hale. "Hale will call you Dr. Carlo. Thank you."

"And Adam, I will let you know the progress of Nadia's treatment. I need to wrap this up with the officers. See you later." Dr. Holland said.

He knew he was dismissed so he smiled at Dr. Holland and to the officers and let himself out of the room.

"I'm so sorry about Dr. Carlo officers. He's Dr. Woods' friend and was a classmate of Dr. Lewis and Dr. Adkins but he was a handful, wasn't he? I didn't know that Percy Saunders was jealous of him or even what he said about Dr. Lewis and Dr. Woods. This case got more complicated. The people involved were all Yalies, except for Mr. Saunders although he was almost a Yalie. I hope you solve this case as soon as possible officers." Dr. Holland sighed.

"We are doing the best we can doctor." Bo smiled. "Thank you for taking your time talking to us. Is it okay to see Dr. Woods later? Can we already talk to her about the case?"

"As I told you earlier, Dr. Woods was a little scatterbrained when it comes to her studies." She laughed. "But her mind is strong. You could talk to her. Just come back here in my office in an hour or so. You will talk first to Dr. Ellis right?"

"Yes doctor. Did Dr. Woods' family already know about what happened?" Hale asked.

"Yes her parents are here. Maybe you can also talk to them later as well. See you officers."

"Yes Dr. Holland. Thank you again." They got out the door and looked at each other while walking towards the nurses' station.

Hale looked at Bo. "That Dr. Carlo was kind of tactless, don't you think? Dr. Holland scolded him but he already got it out of the bag – Dr. Woods wooed Dr. Lewis when they were in the medical school." Bo didn't reply. "Are you mad at Lauren, Bo?" Hale asked.

"What? Why would I be mad at her?"

"Well, she didn't tell us about that…"

"Hale, I'm not mad at her. I understand why she didn't mention it. It's not pertinent to the case. I also didn't find the bullying part relevant to it as well." Bo pointed out.

"So why the scowl on your face?"

"Well for one, I don't like Dr. Carlo. He's tactless, insensitive and arrogant. I know he's not a friend of Lauren but I didn't like how he blurted out that information. I got it that he was a close friend of Nadia and she told him about it but telling it like it's in his rights to tell other people, I can't dismiss the feeling that he has ulterior motives. I don't think Nadia will be happy if she knew that we knew about it. Lauren won't be happy too, I bet."

"But I didn't miss the smile he gave you a while ago and the hint that you call him personally. Someone has a crush." Hale smiled while teasing her partner.

"Huh what are we, teenagers? Well he's good looking, I give him that. But I know a doctor who is better looking than him, blonde, hot and gorgeous even." She smirked.

"You got it." Hale laughed. "Dr. Carlo didn't stand a chance."

The partners walked until they reached Dr. Ellis' office. They knocked and when they heard the permission to come in, they entered. He was the same age as Dr. Holland and they both looked like your typical grandparents – old but warm human beings. The man behind the desk stood up and smiled at the officers. "Come in officers and sit. Do you want any drinks?" When both officers shook their heads he said, "Okay, so let's start." He blew a huge breath. "First of all, I would like to thank you officers for responding to Dr. Lewis' 911 call. I was told by your sergeant that you were also the officers that he will send here to talk to me." He turned to Bo and said, "Of course, you are Police Officer Ysabeau Dennis and you are Police Officer Hale Santiago." He looked at Hale. Both officers nodded.

"Dr. Ellis, we will be recording our interview okay?" The doctor nodded. Bo started the recorder. "This is Police Officer Ysabeau Dennis of NHPD. With me is my partner Police Office Hale Santiago. We are currently in Room 217 of the Yale New Haven Hospital, the office of Dr. Albert Ellis at 12:40 in the afternoon. Dr. Ellis, can you state your name, home address and occupation."

"My name is Albert Ellis, currently residing at 1644 Chapel St. New Haven CT. I am an attending physician here in Yale New Haven Hospital and also the head of the Genetics department."

"Can you spell your name for us?"

"A-L-B-E-R-T-E-L-L-I-S"

"Thank you Dr. Ellis. Please tell us what happened on the night of September 15, 2006."

"It all started in the afternoon Officer Dennis. It was 1:00 o'clock in the afternoon when I summoned Dr. Lewis into my office." He told them about his conversation with Lauren and how he convinced her to check on Nadia.

"Why did you choose Dr. Lewis to check on her? Why not her other colleagues?"

"She's the only one who has the best relationship with Dr. Woods."

"What do you mean by that Dr. Ellis?"

"Dr. Woods has been my resident for three years now officers and I can say that most of her colleagues here in the Genetics department avoid her, except for Dr. Lewis. She seemed afraid of Lauren. I don't know why. But they were civil to each other, most of the times. I was very concerned about Nadia officers so I needed to send someone to check on her and good thing Lauren complied."

"Dr. Ellis, we knew this was not the first time Dr. Woods did a trip to the ER. You also mentioned that you needed to check on her because she was not reporting here at work since Monday. So that's five days all in all. Was she like that on the first two incidents?" Bo asked.

"Let me check my records Officer Dennis." He opened a drawer and brought out a folder. "Pardon me but I'm a Luddite so this was my attendance records ever since." He laughed. "But the hospital imposed a computerized one but my secretary has that. I think this is more accurate." He flipped the pages until he saw what he wanted. "According to my records, the same happened sometime in February and... " He traced the page with his finger. "… May. And that coincided with her previous trips to the ER." He sighed.

"Did you send someone to check on her on those times?"

"No because eventually Dr. Holland would tell me that she already ended up in her ER. And her friend Dr. Adam Carlo brought her here. What happened last night was the culmination of the longest time that she went AWOL officers."

"How many days were the previous ones?"

"Just three days, every time. So on the third day this last time and still she haven't reported back to me or she haven't ended up in the ER yet, I started to be concerned. That's why I decided to send someone to check on her."

"Dr. Ellis, we know every trip to the ER the patient needed a recovery period before she can go back to school or work. So on the first two instances that Dr. Woods ended up in the ER, how many days did she use to recuperate with her injuries?"

The doctor looked at his records again and said, "Three days officers so on the past, she was absent for 12 days on those two instances. But I think on the recent one, she will need more time. Dr. Holland told me about the severity and the quantity of the wounds."

"After all the times did you ever talk to Dr. Woods about what's happening to her during these ER trips?"

The doctor leaned on his table and sighed. "You know officers, my residents are like my children. I care about their well-being. She told me about her secret marriage to her husband. She said her husband was a physical person but he was not physically hurting him yet. So I thought maybe at first, he was hurting her emotionally, but the physical abuse came later in their marriage."

"Did she tell you when the wedding happened?"

"She did not specifically tell me the date but it was when she was in the first year of her residency or in other terms, when she's still an intern."

"Please continue your narrative about your talk with Dr. Woods, doctor."

"Ah yes. My theory was she was emotionally abused at first. Maybe you wanted to ask where my theory came from. On her first year of residency, I can see that she was happy. She even made efforts to talk to her fellow residents, especially to Lauren. But that stopped on her second year. She was emotionally withdrawn, even to me. I summoned her several times to my office and she always said that she's fine. She said she's just missing her husband. She told me that her husband's clientele were mostly from Delaware so he just came here in New Haven once a month. So I thought that's her reason so I didn't pry further. And then came this year. The physical abuse began. So I started summoning her to my office. I asked her what happened. She said there was just a misunderstanding. She already explained it to her husband and they made up. Then it happened again in May. This time she said her husband became jealous of Dr. Adam Carlo. He was a close friend of Dr. Woods. They were inseparable. She said there's nothing between them and they are just friends. I advised that maybe they should see a marriage counselor but her husband didn't like the idea so nothing happened. Then last night…"

"Did you already visit her in her?"

"Not yet. I am ashamed officers."

"Why?"

"I should have pushed harder or talked to Dr. Holland and Dr. Carlo and called for an intervention."

"Doctor, you can't blame yourself for all of these. Even if you pushed harder or called for an intervention, if the suspect thrived on hitting his wife without reason, it's not on you Dr. Ellis." Bo said.

The doctor nodded sadly. "I know that in my mind officer but my heart can't accept that yet."

"Is that the reason why you were there when she was brought to the ER?"

"Yes. I needed to see how she was. Dr. Lewis actually offered but I can't let her do it. She already did a lot by going there and calling 911."

"You know that when she did that, Dr. Lewis became the main witness for the case we are building against Dr. Woods' husband."

Dr. Ellis gasped. "Oh my God, I didn't realize that. I… I... need to talk to Dr. Lewis. She doesn't need this burden. It should have been me. Oh my God."

"Dr. Ellis, we didn't tell you that information so you could beat yourself up." Bo looked at the doctor straight in the eye and said, "My partner and I promise you doctor that we will protect Dr. Lewis from harm, scrutiny or whatever that will jeopardize her privacy and security."

The doctor nodded. "That's all I wanted to hear from you. And please you must do your best to give justice to what happened to Dr. Woods. She didn't deserve her husband and all what he did to her. He must be disbarred. And I know it's not a nice to wish bad things to happen to him but he may rot in jail."

Hale smiled. "That's okay doctor. The bastard deserves it and more. We promise that we will do our very best to do that."

"Thank you officers. By the way, Nadia's parents were already contacted by the hospital. They were recorded as her emergency contacts, not her husband. That's a good thing right?"

"Good thing she didn't change her emergency contacts. Doctor Ellis, thank you for taking your time to see us. We will go back to Dr. Holland's office. She will accompany us to Dr. Woods' room." Bo told him.

The doctor shook their hands. "I should be the one thanking you Officers Dennis and Santiago. Good luck with the case. Please see me again if you have any further questions. I will answer them as long as they will help Dr. Woods' case."

"We will Dr. Ellis." The officers stood up and walked to the door.

They walked to the lobby and checked the time. "It's already 1:30 in the afternoon, time for late lunch." Hale smiled.

"Haven't you eaten your breakfast?" Bo asked.

"Not yet. I'm about to but you called so I'm hungry." Hale frowned.

"Well why didn't you tell me?" Bo slapped Hale's arm. "Have you already taken a pain medicine?"

"For what?"

"Your headache! Didn't you have an accident early this morning or have you forgotten already?" Bo shook her head.

"Oh yeah. No I haven't because if I did, it will just mess up my brain and I can't be useful for you so I will take it later."

"Will a Tylenol do that? I don't think so. I think I have a bottle of that in my bag but you need to eat first so, we should ask Nurse Henderson where the cafeteria is so we could eat properly. I don't think that would take an hour. We badly need a break. After we eat and you take a Tylenol, we would return to Dr. Holland's office and talk to Dr. Woods. Sounds okay?"

"Sounds good." Hale nodded.

They rode the elevator up to the fourth floor and went to the nurses' station. They found the Nurse Henderson waiting for them. "So how did it go officers?" She asked.

"Dr. Adam Carlo happened Nurse Henderson." Hale smiled.

"That pervert! All of us female nurses here avoid him because he's a flirt and has no respect for us. He also can't close his mouth. He's tactless and a horrible doctor. I wondered why Dr. Woods became his friend."

"I don't know but we have a saying – birds with same feathers flock together." Hale quipped.

"Uh looks like you know something I don't know. Care to share officer?"

"Sorry, my lips are sealed." Hale winked. "We didn't expect you would still be here. Not busy?"

"Fortunately no. Hospitals are not too busy at this time. All the employees are on the cafeteria right now."

"Why aren't you? It's already lunch time." Bo asked.

"Well, I'm not that hungry. Besides I'm eating snacks here in the station so I'm still good. You wanted to know where the cafeteria is?" The nurse smiled. "Take the elevator and go down to the first floor. Turn left and walk straight then turn left again until you can see the signage and the menu displayed in front of the said cafeteria. Enjoy!"

The officers said their thanks and started to hunt down the cafeteria.

"Hale, I want to review the information that we got from our talks with the three doctors before we set our interview with Dr. Woods.

"That's fine with me. We can do that while we eat." Hale nodded.

After several minutes, they found the cafeteria and entered. Several heads turned towards them. Bo suddenly felt awkward by the stares that were directed to them, especially to her. "Why did I suddenly think that they were all looking at us?"

Hale looked down at his uniform. "Maybe because we were the only police officers here right now?"

"Right. So let's get our food. The sooner we can eat, the sooner we can get out of here."

"Or maybe we just leave and buy our food outside. I saw some food carts on the parking lot. We can talk freely there about the case." Hale suggested.

Bo smiled. "I didn't think of that partner. Alright, let's go."

They went out of the cafeteria and walked towards the parking lot.

"Bo I didn't tell you but when we were inside the cafeteria, I saw a table where group of male doctors were staring at you. Dr. Carlo was there with them."

She stopped walking and scowled at her partner. "What? And you are telling me this now?"

"That's exactly why I didn't tell you sooner Bo. I know he's already in you shit list so I got you out of there. And besides this is not our territory. He's not worth it okay?"

She blew a breath. "Right, fine. Thank you Hale. He really is a pompous bastard."

They continued their walk and reached the rows of food trucks. They stopped at the one selling Mexican tacos and ordered their food.

When they sat at an empty bench on the parking lot, they started eating and discussing the information they got from the interviews.

"So what were the main highlights of our interviews?" Hale asked.

"I liked that we saw a pattern on the dates when Dr. Woods was brought to the ER. That was tricky at first but we pulled it through." Bo pointed out.

"But can we trust that Dr. Carlo was telling the truth all the time?"

"Yeah I think so. He's a pompous bastard alright but I saw in his eyes that he was telling the truth. And he was telling them in front of Dr. Holland. I think she could have called bullshit if he was lying. But I think he stretched some things on what he told us."

"Like what?" Hale frowned.

"He said Nadia was crying and devastated when Lauren rejected her. That was when they were in the medical school. Then suddenly, she married Percy Saunders after a year or so? I don't think so."

"So you didn't think she was devastated?"

"No, that's a bit stretched. I'm not sure why Dr. Carlo said that but we can confirm it later with Dr. Woods."

"Was it going to affect the case?"

"I think so. That's why I asked him if he thought Percy Saunders knew about Dr. Woods' wooing of Dr. Lewis during medical school."

"So if Percy Saunders knew about it..."

"If he knew about that and if ever there will be a leak that Lauren was the witness, what do you think will happen Hale?"

"It could be a disaster. Not good for our witness. But what if Dr. Carlo was not stretching the truth about Dr. Woods' devastation over Dr. Lewis' rejection?"

"If she really was devastated then why marry Percy Saunders after a year or two?"

"She already moved on?"

"Right. That could be true. But why did Dr. Carlo tell us about that? I think there was a purpose Hale. He didn't just blurt it out like that." Bo stood up and started pacing. "We need to figure it out."

"Okay, I'll eat first then maybe I can think clearer. You sit down and finish your tacos."

Bo sat down and dutifully finished her food and drinks. She thought hard and went back to the conversation with Dr. Carlo.

"Hale I have an idea!" She turned and looked at her partner. "Dr. Carlo told us about that before we told him about the pattern we discovered. It was obvious that he was the trigger. Dr. Woods had the worst beating on his birthday maybe because Saunders saw them celebrating. He also told us that Saunders was jealous of him. Maybe at first, he wanted Lauren to take the blame. But when we told him about the pattern, he backtracked. And he got angry when you pointed out that maybe Saunders saw them and got jealous. He also got Lauren off the hook and said that Lauren won't be caught in public with Nadia. Did you remember?"

Hale nodded. "Your theory is plausible Bo. So the questions are – what is the real relationship of Dr. Woods and Dr. Carlo? Are they really just friends? Is Saunders just maliciously jealous? Is Lauren just a mere witness or the other subject of Saunders' wrath?"

"We will soon find out. One more thing that disturbed me was the fact that Saunders and Dr. Woods were married but he was seeing his wife once a month? If he's really an insanely jealous husband, will he be satisfied with that arrangement? What will you do Hale if you were Saunders?"

"Heck, I will have my wife close to me all the times. It's either I will transfer my practice here in New Haven or I will persuade my wife to transfer her residency in Delaware."

"I will do the same thing. But Saunders was contented seeing his wife once a month. There's something wrong with that scenario." Bo shook her head.

"Partner, we need to interview Saunders. If you remember, it was Dr. Ellis who told us about Saunders seeing his wife once a month."

"That's because that was Nadia told him. We need to check Percy Saunders' travel history. If he really did come here just once a month, how would he know about his wife's indiscretions?" Bo asked. "It's either he has someone inside the hospital or he hired a private detective."

Hale frowned. "We have so many theories to discuss with Sergeant Smith. This case is really complicated."

Bo looked at her watch and looked at her partner. "We need to go inside and talk to Dr. Woods." She picked her paper plates and cup and threw them in the garbage.

"Just one last bite. Damn, that was delicious. Good thing the food trucks were here." Hale wiped his mouth. "Let's go."

They walked inside the hospital and reached the elevator.

"Hale, is it okay if we go to Vex and Lauren's house later? We need them to sign their statements so we can finally file them."

"Yeah, that's fine with me. We also need to update them with what we have learned today."

"Right. I will send a text to Lauren and ask if we could pass by their house later."

"Just pass by partner?" Hale's eyes twinkled.

Bo laughed. "You just can't resist teasing me huh?"

"Of course. I can't resist when you're in a good mood." Hale smirked.

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 **Author's Note: Please read and review.**


	8. Chapter 8 - Fall 2006

**Author's Note: I'm sorry that I haven't updated my story for quite a while now. I'm working on it (excuses, excuses!) If you noticed, my story has a new image cover of Bo and Lauren. And I wanted to thank Lizwiz275 from Twitter for the picture. I really wanted to do my own image cover but alas I don't have the skills. Anyways, I know you wanted more BoLo interactions but be patient my darlings, it's coming! And again, thank you all for the reviews, follows, favorites of the story and for yours truly.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Lost Girl and the characters. I just used them for my story.**

 **Trigger Warning: Some parts of this chapter will describe scenes of physical abuse so I changed the rating to M.**

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 **Chapter Eight**

They rode the elevator towards the fourth floor. When they reached Room 409, they knocked and was told to come in. As they entered the room, they were greeted with a sense of foreboding. The partners saw four people inside. They looked at the person lying in the hospital bed. There were bandages all over her body.

"Hi Dr. Woods. I am Police Officer Ysabeau Dennis and this is my partner Police Officer Hale Santiago. We are hoping to get your statement regarding what happened last night." Nadia smiled and nodded.

Bo looked at Dr. Holland.

Dr. Holland smiled. "Mr. and Mrs. Woods, these were the officers that responded to the 911 call. They were also the ones that facilitated your daughter's rescue and the eventual arrest of the suspect."

Nadia's father smiled and shook the hands of Bo and Hale. "Thank you officers for rescuing our daughter. Her mother and I were very anxious when we received the call from the hospital. We didn't know what to expect but seeing her like this..." His demeanor changed, his brows were furrowed and lips quivered. "She's our only child and when... when we found out what he did to her, I really wanted to go the police station and wring his neck and watch him die. But I can't, I'm not like that. I just wanted to avenge my daughter."

"Thomas..." Nadia's mother was trying to pacify her husband by rubbing his back.

"She was married to that twat for 3 years and I never saw my daughter happy with him, never." He looked at his daughter. "He was always had been a bad influence on you Nadia. I don't know why you married that scoundrel."

"Dad..." Nadia whispered.

"Thomas... this is not the time to blame our daughter. What she need right now is our love for her. Please calm down." Nadia's mother pleaded.

"Sandra... I... I can't. Especially when she's like this." He sighed. "Excuse me Dr. Holland, officers... I need some fresh air." He stood up and walked out the door.

"Please excuse my husband's behavior doctor, officers. It's just very hard for him to accept all of these."

"We can't really say that we understood what you and your husband were going through right now ma'am because we're not parents yet but my partner and I would like to assure you we will do our best to solve this case and give Dr. Woods the justice she deserves." Bo smiled warmly at Nadia's mother.

"Thank you officer. If you will excuse me doctor, officers I need to go after my husband." She looked at her daughter. "Nadia, I need to go after him. He was very distraught and I need to distract him before he do something wrong. Please talk to these officers. They need to know the truth." She rubbed her daughter's arm soothingly. When Nadia nodded, her mother walked out the door to look for her husband.

"Dr. Woods, my partner and I really need to know if you are ready to answer our questions about what happened last night."

"Yes officers. I will answer them as thoroughly as I can." She smiled.

Dr. Holland spoken up. "Nadia, I will be here to guide you and the officers." She looked at Bo and Hale. "If Nadia will feel any discomfort at any time during the interview, I will need to stop it. Understood?" The officers nodded.

Bo started the recorder.

"This is Police Officer Ysabeau Dennis of the New Haven Police Department District 9; here with me is my partner Police Officer Hale Santiago. It is 2:25 in the afternoon of the 16th day of September 2006 and we are in Room 409 of Yale New Haven Hospital where Dr. Nadia Woods is currently confined. Dr. Woods, can you tell us what happened on the night of September 15, 2006?"

Nadia sighed and said, "I was peacefully sleeping in my room when my husband woke me up. I was caught off guard because I didn't expect him to be home. I thought he already went back to Delaware on Wednesday. I was with him at the airport and saw him past the check-in."

"Did you see what time was it when your husband woke you up?"

"I actually looked at my watch and saw that it was 4 o'clock in the afternoon."

"What happened after that?"

"I actually didn't get up immediately because I was nursing a nasty headache and I already planned to sleep through it. But he was adamant in waking me up because he said we needed to talk. So I woke up and found him in our living room. He was pacing up and down while he was muttering to himself."

"Did you hear what he's saying?"

"No. Honestly, I was already afraid of what would happen. I knew that there's something going on. I thought he would scream at me because I saw that he was furious. But when he talked to me, his voice was eerily calm."

"What did he say?"

"He asked me where I was the previous night. That was September 14, Thursday. I told him I was out with my friends. And then he asked me to name the friends that I was with, so I did. When I finished, he just looked at me. We were standing in the middle of the living room just looking at each other. And then his eyes flickered. He sat down on of the chairs. And then he spoke up. He asked me take off my clothes. At first, I couldn't believe what he asked of me to do then he asked me again. When I didn't move to do what he asked, he slapped me repeatedly until I fell down." She started to tear up. "He forced me to stand up and he asked me to take my clothes off again. I told him no so he punched me in my stomach. I folded up and he kicked me. He told me to stand up but my body was already in pain. When I didn't move, he knelt down and started taking off my clothes forcibly."

"I fought him officers. I punched him in the face but he was so strong, so strong that I couldn't stop him from stripping me down. I thought he was going to force himself into me but when he saw that I was finally naked, he stood up. He was my husband but at that very moment, I couldn't let him see me naked so I covered myself with my clothes. When he saw me do it, he told me to hand him my clothes or else he will kick me again. I was already in pain so I gave him my clothes and cover my nakedness with my bare hands. He laughed and laughed like he was possessed. And then suddenly stopped. He folded my clothes and put them on one of the chairs. He walked to the back of the couch. That's when I saw the whip. He hid it at the back of the couch. He walked towards me and he suddenly whipped me. He shouted and shouted while he repeatedly whipped me. He repeatedly called me a liar." She wiped the tears that were falling down. Dr. Holland sat at the edge of her bed and rubbed her back.

"Nadia, are you still okay to continue?" The doctor asked.

"Dr. Holland, I'm okay. I would like to finish this today so the officers can do their job."

"Thank you Dr. Woods. Please continue." Bo said.

"He continued the whipping. And he cursed me again and again. At that time, I couldn't move and I just laid there. He suddenly stopped. I thought that was it. But he came back and he was holding a stick. That was new, he didn't use that to me before. My breath hitched when the first strike landed on my skin. He did it repeatedly until I couldn't feel anymore. And then I fainted."

"How did you know that you fainted?"

"Because when I woke up, it was already 7 o'clock in the evening. I think I lost 2 hours of the day. It was already dark outside. He didn't turn on the lights. I saw him sitting at the couch. When he saw me looking at him, he stood up and went to the chair where he placed my clothes. He threw them to me and he said that I should dress up. My body was aching so my actions were kind of slow but he kicked me and said that I should put on my clothes. I slowly dressed up. He stood up from the couch and told me to sit down. And then I saw that he was holding the whip. I heard a whimper and realized that it was me. He stood over me and started whipping me again. I couldn't take it anymore so I shouted for help. His eyes got wide because it was the first time that I did that. He muffled my screams with his hands and I bit it. He whipped me again until I fainted again. The last thing I heard was the chairs moving around the living room like he kicked them. Then I just woke up this morning. My parents were already here and told me that I was found unconscious in the living room by the police. Officer Dennis, is it okay if I ask you something?"

"Sure Dr. Woods. What is it?"

"If I was unconscious, how did the police know about what happened to me?"

"Someone was sent to check on you. When she went to your house, she heard the last part where you called for help and the furniture moving around. Then she called 911. The 911 call was dispatched simultaneously to the police and the EMTs. Our station in District 9 was the nearest to your house so we were told to go there and check." Bo told her.

"I see. Someone was sent to check on me? Who did that?"

"It was Dr. Ellis, your department head."

"Oh. That was very kind of him. Who did he sent to check on me?"

"It was Dr. Lauren Lewis."

"What, are you serious? It was Lauren?" Nadia looked at Dr. Holland. "Is it true? How? Why?"

"It's true Nadia. He thought of sending her because well, let's be honest. No one would do it, except maybe for Dr. Carlo. But Dr. Ellis persuaded Dr. Lewis to do it. I didn't know how he did it. You should ask him once he comes over to visit you."

"So why not Adam?"

"I don't know. It was Dr. Ellis' call."

"So I owe Lauren my life." Nadia closed her eyes. "Oh my God, I was terrible to her in the past. I was such a bitch. I need to speak to her so I could thank her."

"You should do that when she comes over to visit you." Dr. Holland suggested.

Bo raised her eyebrow. Both doctors missed it but Hale saw and he cleared his throat to draw her attention. She blushed when she caught Hale's eyes. Hale shook his head.

"Dr. Woods, is it okay if we ask you some additional questions?" Hale asked.

"Sure officer. I have all day."

"Was it true that what happened last night was not the first time he did that to you?"

"That's true officer."

"Before this incident, how many times did he do it?"

"Twice this year."

"When did he start hurting you physically?"

"It all started after we celebrated our second year anniversary."

"What happened that day?"

"He accused me of lying to him. He also said that I was cheating on him with one of my friends."

"Did he mention a particular person when he accused you of cheating?"

"Yes."

"Who was this person Dr. Woods?"

"It was my good friend Dr. Adam Carlo whom he accused me of cheating with. But we are just friends. Actually he was the only friend that I have for the longest time. And he said I was lying when I told him that Adam and I were only friends and nothing more. He has this archaic notion that a man and a woman can't just be friends. I actually laughed when he told me that. He said the perfect example was us. We started as friends but eventually became a couple and got married. I told him that belief was preposterous. But of course, since he was so alpha male he didn't care about my opinion. That was the first time he physically hurt me."

"Was he always been jealous of Dr. Adam Carlo?"

"Yes. Even when we were not married yet, he was always been jealous of Adam."

"Did he ever tell you why?"

"He said that I was too close to Adam."

"Was it true, that you're too close to him?"

"I can't deny the fact that Adam and I are really close officer. I told you that Adam was the friend that I have for the longest time. We were classmates in the medical school. We were both doctors here in this hospital. We see each other outside of work. But that's it, we are just friends. My husband doesn't believe me."

"What are your living arrangements with your husband?"

Nadia was caught off guard by Hale's question.

"Well, we are not living together at this time."

"Why?"

"My husband is a real estate lawyer and he established his practice in Delaware where his hometown is. My residency is in this hospital so I need to be here."

"Were the two of you satisfied with that arrangement?"

"We compromised. He will come here once a month and vice versa. Good thing my family is also from Delaware."

Bo subtly looked at Hale. "When did this arrangement start?" Bo asked her.

"After the wedding. Originally, I wanted to marry him after my residency but he insisted that we do it after medical school. So we thought of that arrangement."

"So you've been seeing your husband twice a month in your three years of marriage?"

"Yes, that's correct. But after my residency, I will eventually come home to Delaware and will establish my practice there."

"If you and your husband were seeing each other only twice a month, do you think it is fair for him to accuse you of infidelity Dr. Woods?"

Nadia pursed her lips. She looked directly at Bo. "No Officer Dennis, I don't think it's fair."

"Do you think that he's also cheating on you?

"No, it never crossed my mind."

"Why?"

"Why? Because I know him officer. He won't do that to me. Never." She shook her head.

"Do you think this arrangement that you have with your husband took a toll on your marriage?"

"Initially no. I was okay with the arrangement but when he started accusing me of lying and cheating I can say that yes, it did."

"Was this arrangement with your husband a result of the status of your marriage?"

Nadia frowned. "Sorry Officer Dennis but I can't understand your question. What status?"

"The accused told the police that the two of you were secretly married. Is that true?"

She nodded sadly. "Yes that is true."

"So on my other question, do you think that because you were secretly married, you easily agreed with the arrangement?"

"I actually didn't think about that before but now that you asked me, yes I think so."

"Whose idea was it for the two of you to be secretly married?"

"It was both our decision. For what it's worth, ours is a long distance relationship but I promised to myself that I will persevere to make it through. I will finish my four-year residency then I will go home to Delaware. That was my plan. But I realized that a relationship means there should be a We and Ours. It should have been Our plan. We should've talked about it more."

"Do you think that this whole incident could have been avoided if you had seen each other more often for the past three years?"

"That is a difficult question to answer Officer Dennis. I realized that I could answer you either way but it will still depend on how I really know my husband. Before we got married, we were okay. There were no jealousy or accusations of lying and cheating. It all started when we got married. I thought that if we got married, we will be more secured of each other because we were legally bonded. But I was wrong. You got me thinking there. Now it's too late."

"Do you think that he hired someone to monitor your whereabouts all these years?"

The young doctor frowned. "Why did you ask that?"

"We are covering all bases Dr. Woods. We just thought that if you and your husband just saw each other in a month twice, how could he say that you were cheating on him? Or is he just assuming that you cheated?"

"I didn't think of that. I honestly don't know."

"Did he know someone from the hospital that you know of? We were thinking that maybe he hired a private detective to monitor you or he had a friend here in the hospital or in this city who will report back to him. Did you ever think of that?"

"Actually no, I didn't think of that either."

"Besides the physical abuse, did he ever abuse you emotionally?"

"No."

"I have no other questions. Officer Santiago?"

Hale cleared his throat. "Had your husband ever been jealous of Dr. Lauren Lewis?"

"Lauren? No. How could you?" She looked at Hale's eyes. There's no deception or whatsoever. It was not a trick question. The reality dawned on her. "You knew about that? Who told you?"

"Dr. Adam Carlo."

"Adam? I will kill him." She covered her face with her hands. "You didn't have to know that. My God, she rejected me several times. Ever since we met, she never liked me. And then this. I owed her."

"I'm just curious Dr. Woods. Dr. Carlo told us that the two of you agreed to be Emergency Medicine doctors but you specialize in Genetics instead. Why? Was that because of Dr. Lewis?"

"No. I chose Genetics because of my husband Officer Santiago. I'd rather be a fellow resident to Lauren rather than to Adam. You see, he's really jealous of Adam while he didn't know about my feelings regarding Lauren."

"Was Dr. Carlo the only person he got jealous with?"

"Yes."

"We knew the fact that the second time he hurt you was the day after your birthday, May 22. What do you think triggered him to do that to you?"

"Well he informed me that he won't be here on my birthday but he promised me that he will be coming here the next day. But since it was my birthday, I went out and celebrate."

"With Dr. Carlo, of course."

"Yes. But we were with our friends. The same friends that there were on Adam's birthday. There was drinking and dancing. So I went home and nursed a hangover. When I woke up the next day, I realized that I had several missed calls. It was him. I was still in pain when he barged to the house and was very angry. He asked why I'm not answering my phone so I told him the truth. And then he started hitting me."

The last part was delivered in a monotone voice. That's the time the officers realized that it was time to stop the questions.

Dr. Holland also noticed it so she spoke up. "Officers, do you have any other questions for Dr. Woods? I think she needs to rest by now."

"That's all Dr. Holland. If we have other questions, we will let Sergeant Smith know so we could arrange another session with Dr. Woods." Bo answered. She looked at Nadia. "Dr. Woods, thank you very much for answering all our questions. We will be in touch."

Nadia nodded as she laid down on her bed. Bo and Hale shook Dr. Holland's hand.

"Dr. Holland, thank you for accompanying us. We will be going back to the station for the briefing of this case. Sergeant Smith will be in touch with you."

"No problem officers. Just let us know if you need anything that will help solve this case as soon as possible."

They went out the door and looked at the lobby searching for Nadia's parents. Unfortunately, they were not in sight.

"It would be better if we could talk to them for a bit. But they are not here so let's see if Nurse Henderson can add anything substantial to our case." Bo told Hale.

"Let's go." They found the nurse in her usual place. Hale smiled at her.

"Hi Nurse Henderson. Are you busy? Can we talk to you for a while?"

"Sure. I'm not too busy."

"Do you personally know Dr. Woods?"

"Well not really. She's kind of snob. She is a colleague and I am sad with what happened to her but still... well even Dr. Lewis is more approachable than her."

Hale winked at Bo. "What do you mean by that?"

"Dr. Woods has a reputation here. She thought highly of herself she can't even acknowledge us here in the nurse station." Something dawned on her. She looked at Hale. "So maybe that's the reason why you told me earlier about the saying being birds having the same feathers..." Hale nodded.

"If you will compare her to Dr. Lewis..." Nurse Henderson gestured. "... Dr. Woods is here..." Her hand was on her hips. "... while Dr. Lewis is here." She placed her hand above her head. Dr. Lewis' reputation precedes her anywhere she goes here in the hospital and she takes time to know our names. We understand her if sometimes she couldn't acknowledge us but brilliant minds are sometimes like that you know. There are too many things inside her head so she just pass us by. But Dr. Woods is just an average doctor so why won't she bother to know us?"

"Well that's Dr. Lewis to you." Hale smiled widely. "But you knew that Dr. Woods was already married?"

"Oh yes of course. Nothing, I mean nothing will be missed here in the nurse station especially if it's about the doctors' affairs you know. We know who's single, married, dating and those having affairs. Do you have a doctor in mind officers?"

"What about Dr. Woods and Dr. Carlo, Nurse Henderson?"

"To burst Dr. Woods' husband's bubble, no. They are just friends."

"Are you sure?" Bo asked.

"Is the Pope Catholic Officer Dennis? Of course I'm sure."

"What about Dr. Lewis?" Hale asked. Bo frowned.

"Well that one... no. I will be very happy for her if she find someone very soon. Too workaholic. But her friend Dr. Adkins, she's dating Dr. Lewis' cousin.

"Wow you knew that? How?"

"I can't divulge my secrets Officer Santiago." She winked.

"Have you noticed if Dr. Woods and Dr. Carlo are hanging out with other doctors?"

"Yeah well, I saw them sometimes with other doctors during lunch time."

Bo thought of another question. "Can you tell us if you have seen Dr. Woods' husband here in the hospital? Did he ever set foot here?"

"That's a good question and not an easy one to answer. I'm not here 24/7 but all I can is that in the span of three years that they were married, no one had ever seen her husband here."

"But how did you know how he looked like?"

"Another trade secret officers. Just trust me that what I'm telling you is true."

"Do you know if her husband has a friend here in the hospital?"

"I don't know about that. But I can ask around. I will have the answer once you come back."

"Yes that's fair." Hale nodded. "That's all then Nurse Henderson. Thank you for taking time to answer our questions."

"I didn't sweat. I thought you have more." She grinned.

"We will come back so hold the reins while we are cavorting with the enemies." Bo winked.

"Wait." She looked at Bo. "You two were the only police officers that I saw all day so it's you."

"What are you talking about?"

"A group of male doctors were talking about you, the deliciously hot policewoman in uniform." Nurse Henderson grinned.

Bo cringed. Hale answered, "That includes Dr. Carlo?" The nurse nodded. "Then do us a favor Nurse Henderson. Tell these perverts that Police Officer Bo Dennis is not available."

"You two are dating?"

"What?! No way!" Bo laughed.

"Hey! I'm not a bad catch." Hale pouted. "But seriously, spread that information."

"So you're dating someone right now, Officer Dennis?"

"Uhm... not actually. I'm just unavailable." Bo blushed.

"Oh you already committed yourself to someone else! That's sweet." The nurse gushed.

"That sounds right Nurse Henderson." Hale winked. Bo elbowed her partner.

"Okay, no problem officers. I'll spread that information."

"So we're going on our way. We'll see you again Nurse Henderson." Both officers waved goodbye to the nurse.

They walked out of the hospital until they reached Bo's truck.

"We need to get to the station as soon as possible. Can you call Sergeant Smith and tell him we're on our way while I text Lauren and ask her if it's okay to pass by their house later." Bo pulled out her phone from her pocket. She texted Lauren and hit Send. She heard Hale ending his call to Sergeant Smith.

"What did he say?"

"He said to come right away. It was a good thing that we're done early. There's still time to review all the statements. We need probable cause for the continuous detention of the suspect within our station." Hale answered.

"Won't that be dangerous? Maybe it's better if he will be transferred to the correctional center immediately."

"I think that will be the first thing in our agenda on Monday." Hale looked at his watch. "It was good that we started early today. Even if we spend hours in the station, we can still get home at a decent hour."

"Oh yeah. That would be great. I need more sleep." She sat on the driver's seat and put on the seat belt. "So I have some good news. I forgot to tell you this morning." Bo started the truck and drove to the main road towards East Shore.

"Really? What is it?"

"Pops and I are planning to expand the business. Well, not actually planning but we already decided that it's time to change things. We need to attract the younger crowds, the working class, the locals, etc. The Dahl Riata will have a dining area on the second floor. Then Pops thought we need entertainment so all will be busy before the end of the year."

"Wow that's great. I haven't gone to The Dahl these past few months. It will be nice if we could hang out there sometimes. We should invite our new friends." Hale winked.

"Yeah sure. Even Kenzi and Tamsin suggested that. I think we can always invite Vex. For the two doctors, I think we need an advance invitation." Bo smirked.

"No plans of strutting your stuff at The Dahl sometimes?" Hale teased.

"What stuff? What are you talking about?" Bo was clueless.

"Uh entertainment, playing the guitars, singing?"

"Oh that stuff. Maybe... on special occasions, I can be persuaded." She winked.

"I'll remember that." Hale laughed. You need to talk to Kenzi about a piano and guitar piece that you two can play."

"Why the hell didn't I think of that? That's a nice idea Hale." She punched him on the arm.

"Well I have my uses." Hale smiled. They were already in the turnpike when Hale's phone rang. "It's the sergeant."

 ** _"_** ** _Santiago wherever you and Dennis were, please hurry up. Lieutenant Jenkins called. He's on his way for the briefing."_**

"We're already in the turnpike sir so we will be there in a short while."

 ** _"_** ** _Good. See you."_**

"What is it?" Bo asked.

"Lieutenant Jenkins will be there in the station for the briefing so we have to hurry up."

"Then I must step on it. I wish my truck has a siren."

"Well you have me, I'm your human siren." Hale did the sound of a siren.

Bo just laughed and shook her head.

 **LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG**

 **Westville New Haven**

"I didn't know that shopping for groceries will take us three hours! It was crazy!" Vex laughed while driving. They decided to go to the Elm City Market so they could eat lunch after shopping.

"Well it's because it was the first time the three of us shopped together for a long time now." Lauren said. "We rarely spent time together outside our house so maybe we missed going out."

"Yeah that's it, we enjoyed each other's company." Ciara tapped Vex. "And you keep on adding items on our grocery."

"That's because I'll be baking my sinfully delicious chocolate-honey ganache layer cake anytime next week. I need to be prepared for that. You may consume it in seconds so maybe I will bake two of it."

"What? Are you going to start a bakery?" Ciara teased.

"Hey why not? Maybe I should follow Lauren's Grandma Maggie's example. But I need to learn how to bake pies. I should join you two later when you baked that blueberry pie so I could learn too." Vex said.

"You have a business to run right? You sound too enthusiastic."

Vex looked at Lauren, eyes pleading not to tell Ciara about what they talked about that morning. He cleared his throat. "Yeah well, I love cakes and pies. It's possible for me to have a bakery business on the side. It's time for a Tate to conquer the East coast."

"Well bake that cake first then let's see." Lauren winked at Vex, conveying to her friend that she understood. He breathed a big sigh of relief. "So we're home."

"Lo, are you going to teach me how to bake the blueberry pie right away?" Ciara asked.

"Just tell me when Ci. I have nothing to do for the whole day."

"Okay thanks. I'll be up to change clothes then we can start." She exited the car and carried the other bags of groceries.

Vex and Lauren got out of the car and opened the trunk where the other bags of groceries were placed. When Vex was sure that Ciara was inside the house, he turned to Lauren and said, "Lo thank you for not telling her. I just think that once she knew, she will tell Dyson. I was still reeling from all of it. Maybe because I'm still processing and I..." He gulped. "... know that it's final but I ran that business for 5 years and I just..."

Lauren rubbed Vex's back. "No need to thank me. I won't tell anyone unless you tell me to do so. Besides it's not my story to tell. You still have until December to run it so it's still yours. You can tell them next year when it's official. But right now, you're still running it so you don't have to tell the world." She smiled to him then suddenly she heard her phone's message alert tone. She opened the message and was surprised to know that the message was from Bo.

 **"** **Hi Lauren. Sorry if I didn't reply to your message this morning. Something came up. Can we stop by at your house later? You and Vex need to sign your statements so we could file them on Monday."**

"Who was it Lo?"

"It's Bo. She wanted to know if it's okay for them to stop by here later so we could sign our statements."

Vex smiled widely. "So Officer Dennis will be here later huh?"

Lauren smiled shyly. "Is it okay to be this excited because I can't wait to see her again?"

"Awwww! Of course it's okay Lo. Tell her it's okay and invite them for dinner. Good thing we just bought our groceries. We can order pizza then let them have some of your pies."

"Well I can cook carbonara. It would be quick and easy." She texted Bo and smiled at Vex.

"Good thinking! Well let's get inside so we can tell Ciara that we have guests later."

 **LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG**

 **District 9 East Shore New Haven**

Bo and Hale entered the station and saw that Sergeant Smith was waiting for them. He stood up and said, "Dennis and Santiago let's go at the conference room. Lieutenant Jenkins will be here in a few minutes. It will be a closed door meeting, just the four of us. We need to sort out all our evidence against Percy Saunders. We still have 6 hours to spare to make sure that he won't be set free. Do you gather all statements that we need?" Both officers nodded. "Very good." They heard a booming voice outside. The sergeant smiled. "Well it seems the lieutenant is already here. I'll meet him. The two of you go the conference room now."

They walked through the narrow corridors of the station. They were already turning the corner when Bo unintentionally looked inside the room where Percy Saunders was detained. She stopped in her tracks and looked at the man who accused his wife of cheating, who didn't believe her when she said she's not and who physically and repeatedly abused her. _Am I looking at a monster?_ Only that now all she can see was a disheveled and disoriented man, muttering to himself. _Well looks can be deceiving sometimes._ Her musings were stalled when she heard Hale calling her.

"Where did you go?"

Bo walked towards the conference room. "I peeked at Saunders' room. I got curious, that's all."

"Ah. We can't avoid to be curious after all the information we have gathered." They sat while waiting for their superiors. "You know, the one thing that I really can't wrap my head around was how their marriage survived with the amount of time they spent with each other for the last three years." Hale was incredulous.

"They just survived. They didn't thrive though. Look at what happened to them."

"And remember, they had a weird history. They met at Yale when Dr. Woods was maybe 18, then he was 20. He was expelled right? Then they both came from Delaware." Hale thought for a minute. "Well shit partner, we didn't ask Dr. Woods if they knew each other before they were in Yale."

"Oh yeah we missed that." Bo frowned. "We'll just tell Sergeant Smith about it. We can still get that information from Saunders or from Dr. Woods' parents."

Sergeant Smith barreled into the conference room. Bo and Hale stood up. Behind him was Lieutenant Leroy Jenkins, as well as the other officers who helped Bo and Hale with securing last night's crime scene.

The lieutenant went at the head of the table, the sergeant beside him and addressed the officers in the room. "Good afternoon Sergeant Smith, officers. Let's sit down and discuss the case."

The sergeant discussed the initial details of the case – the 911 call, how the victim was found, how the suspect was caught and all the details done to ensure the investigation of the crime was flawless and up to the NHPD's standard. He also discussed the forensic side of the crime and happily reported that he put a rush on the prints obtained from the crime scene.

"Very good sergeant. May I say good job on the initial handling of this case." His eyes roamed around the table and ended up at Bo and Hale. "You were the officers that responded to the 911 call, I presume?"

"Yes sir, you are correct." Bo answered.

The lieutenant looked at the sergeant. "So you gave them the case?"

"Yes sir. Police Officers Ysabeau Dennis and Hale Santiago are competent officers. They have the best record here in District 9."

Lt. Jenkins nodded. "And the others?" He eyed the other officers in the room.

"They helped with the case sir." And he went to introduce the others to the lieutenant and dismissed them.

When the other officers left, Sergeant Smith turned to Bo and Hale. "So what are the updates?"

Bo urged Hale to talk. "Sir we already got the statement of Dr. Nadia Woods. We also talked to Dr. Patricia Holland, her attending physician and Dr. Albert Ellis, her boss at Yale Hospital."

"When we spoke to them, we found another two potential witnesses." Bo added.

"Who are these people and how can they help us with our case?" The lieutenant asked.

Bo and Hale told them about Nurse Henderson and Dr. Adam Carlo.

"Hmmm interesting. Let's listen to your recordings first then we determine the need to formally talk to them."

They first listened to Dr. Holland's interview.

"In this interview you determined that there was a pattern to the suspect's physical abuse of the victim. Good job on catching that officers." The lieutenant praised. "You mentioned that when you were talking to Dr. Holland, a Dr. Carlo came. What did he say?"

Bo apprised Lieutenant Jenkins about what Dr. Carlo told them.

"So he said he knew that the victim's husband was jealous of him? Such arrogance! And he didn't do anything about it?" He turned to the sergeant. "I'll ask you Sergeant Smith, if your friend's husband got jealous of you what will you do?"

Sergeant Smith considered his superior's question and answered, "Well I will call him, buy him a drink and assure him that I'm just a friend and there's nothing to be jealous about."

"Good answer." He looked at the officers. "Did you ask him that?"

Hale answered. "No sir but we will definitely ask him if we are going to officially get his statement for the investigation."

"Okay. What about the fact that he was kind of a knight in a shining armor to her on the first two trips to the ER? It was him who brought her to the hospital right?" The others nodded. "She called him?" Another nod. "My question is why? Why him? Why not her other friends? He's the man her husband was jealous with right? So why do you think Dr. Woods called him when she knew that her friendship or association with Dr. Carlo was the cause of her pain?" His voice was escalating, his eyes were demanding answers to his questions.

"Maybe because Dr. Carlo was the only available friend she had that time? Maybe they are just really close, she can't think of anybody else and she trusted him that much? Or maybe she thought that she had nothing to hide and was innocent of the accusations her husband thrown at her?" Bo answered.

Lieutenant Jenkins turned his eyes to Bo and smirked. "Good questions Officer Dennis. Did you ask Dr. Woods about that?"

Bo looked embarrassed. "No sir, we didn't think of that."

"Well now you have another reason to talk to her then I guess." Lieutenant Jenkins winked.

Bo blushed. Lieutenant Leroy Jenkins was kind of a legend in New Haven Police Department. Police officers like her looked up to him. Some say he can be their next chief of police once the current one retired.

"Yes sir, we will take note of that." She said.

"Sergeant, officers maybe you are thinking why my line of thought was like I'm blaming the relationship of Dr. Woods and Dr. Carlo for everything that happened. Well I'm not. Let's say I'm just covering all the bases. Mr. Percy Saunders or the future ex-lawyer Percy Saunders will likely use that for his defense. And we are not going to let him do that. So on Monday, Dennis and Santiago talk to Dr. Carlo again. And also to Dr. Woods. We need that information. Check with her attending physician first. See if you could also talk to the victim's parents." The lieutenant ordered. "Sergeant, make sure that the court order for the unsealing of the victim and suspect's marriage certificate will be issued first thing on Monday, okay?"

"Affirmative sir." Sergeant Smith murmured. The officers nodded.

"Alright let's listen to the next interview."

The lieutenant leaned on his chair as the recorder was turned off. "I want to focus on our main witness, Dr. Lauren Lewis. Do you know which part of the country Dr. Lewis is from?" The others shook their heads. "You don't know? Well, it's not actually pertinent to the case but I'm just curious. Let's see here. Dr. Lewis is a fellow resident of the victim in the Genetics department of Yale Hospital and a classmate in the Yale medical school. What else do we know about her in relation to the victim?"

The sergeant spoke up. "Sir she's also on the same residential college in Yale with the victim and the suspect."

"Really? That's interesting."

"If you want sir, you can read the statements of Dr. Lewis and another witness, Mr. Vaughn Tate." The lieutenant nodded. "Officers, where are the statements?"

Hale stood up and patted Bo on the back. "Sir let me get them from our file. Excuse me."

The sergeant turned to Bo. "Dr. Lewis and Mr. Tate haven't signed them yet?"

"No sir, but Hale and I will be going to pass by their house tonight and have them sign the statements.

"Good."

Hale re-entered the room and passed the written statements to the sergeant. The sergeant in turn gave them to the lieutenant.

The lieutenant retrieved his eyeglasses and started to read. He grunted once or twice while perusing the statements. "So our main witness was bullied by the victim and the suspect when she was still a freshman in Yale? Talking about coincidence! Now Dr. Woods owed her life to Dr. Lewis. How's that for vengeance huh? Let's listen to the statement of Dr. Woods."

Bo observed the lieutenant's facial reactions while he's on listening mode. _I bet he's a good poker player._ His face was a mask of serenity. But when the recorded was turned off, he stood and started pacing. "That was... that was... I can't... wow! If I'm the father of the victim, I will kidnap Mr. Saunders and I will do the same to him. Good thing we are law enforcement officers so we will do this by the book." He sighed. "Now at least we have the testimony of the victim, we can transfer him to the correctional center on Monday. Sergeant, we need to do that first thing on Monday okay?" The sergeant nodded. "So Dr. Woods cleared Dr. Lewis and Dr. Carlo. I also don't think that Mr. Saunders was in any way jealous of Dr. Lewis. We need to ask Mr. Saunders about Dr. Carlo. There's something missing here and because of that, we need to dig deeper. And it has something to do with Mr. Saunders' other life in Delaware."

His words were met by the curious faces of his subordinates.

"What do you think Officer Dennis?"

Bo was quite unsure if she will air her thoughts but it was there on the back of her mind while she was driving. She cleared her throat. "Sir I was thinking while we were waiting for you. Officer Santiago and I were discussing about the victim and the suspect's marriage. Then it came to me that there's a possibility that Mr. Saunders has another wife, there in Delaware."

"I agree. There's no way a person can start a married life with that kind of arrangement. Why marry in the first place?" The lieutenant tapped the table. "Mr. Saunders is from Dover, Delaware. I will call a friend in Dover Police Department to help us trace that information. I will keep you updated about that as soon as possible Sergeant Smith." The sergeant answered, "Yes sir."

"I'm also curious on how Mr. Saunders knew about his wife's whereabouts. What do you think of that Officer Santiago?"

"Sir it's possible that Mr. Saunders has a mole here in New Haven. It can be a friend or a private detective that monitors Dr. Woods' affairs in and out of the hospital. We already asked Nurse Henderson if she knew anything about that and she said personally, she didn't know anything. But she said she will ask the other employees in Yale Hospital."

"Good. So you need to formally get the statements of both Dr. Carlo and Nurse Henderson. Check their schedule first. That will be your assignment first thing on Monday morning. Is that clear officers?"

Bo and Hale nodded.

The lieutenant turned to Sergeant Smith. "I need to speak with Mr. Saunders. The three of you may observe outside the room okay?"

They all stoop up and went over the room where the suspect was detained. Lieutenant Jenkins went inside and sat opposite Percy Saunders.

"Mr. Saunders, I am Lieutenant Leroy Jenkins of the New Haven Police Department. I have some questions for you. And I will ask you again, do you want another lawyer to represent you other than yourself?" The suspect shook his head. "Please speak up Mr. Saunders. This interview is being recorded."

Mr. Saunders looked at the lieutenant and said, "No Lieutenant Jenkins, I don't need another lawyer."

"So be it." The lieutenant leaned on the table and placed his hands on the table. "Mr. Saunders, we already talked to your wife and her attending physician. We were told that what happened last night was not the first time you hurt her. We have in our hands the hospital records for the first two times that your wife was brought to the ER. She told us that the reason you hurt her was because you were jealous of Dr. Adam Carlo. Is that true?"

The accused looked down but did not answer.

"Mr. Saunders, we have all the evidence in our hands. Once the forensic evidence was handed to us, you need to start talking or else..."

"Or else what?"

"Then we'll just see you in court Mr. Saunders. You're a lawyer, you know what will happen next. You know what you did. You will be a convicted felon. You will be disbarred, your license to practice law will be taken away from you. And on Monday, you will be moved to the correctional center. Think about it."

Percy Saunders looked up and said, "Ask Nadia and Adam about Miranda Hamilton."

"And who is Miranda Hamilton, Mr. Saunders?"

"She's a nurse in Yale New Haven Hospital." He looked down again. "That's all I can say for now."

Lieutenant Jenkins raised his eyebrow. "We will ask them about Miranda Hamilton and once we knew who she is, I'll come back here and you will talk to me Mr. Saunders. Remember, you are the accused. You are not the victim, understood? So lose that attitude. We are not afraid of you or your family." He got out of the room and talked to his subordinates. "We need to know who Miranda Hamilton is. Sergeant, call Yale Hospital and tell them that we need to know the schedule of the people that we need to talk to. Officers, you need to talk to Dr. Woods' parents. You must string all those interviews on Monday. Write up the reports then let them sign."

The sergeant and officers nodded.

"Then we all have our assignments on Monday. We need to reconvene as soon as all interviews are done. But we do it in my office at Union Ave." He sighed. "Sergeant, let Officers Dennis and Santiago have their day off tomorrow so they could start fresh on Monday."

Sergeant Smith nodded. "Let me accompany you in your car sir." He looked at Bo and Hale. "You can go home now or do the paperwork for the interviews that you have done today."

Hale looked at Bo. "Sir we'll just do the paperwork on Monday. We need to go to Dr. Lewis' and Mr. Tate's house for them to sign their statements."

"That's fine officers. See you on Monday. Goodnight."

"Goodnight sir."

"What a day! Now I really wanted to get out of this uniform. Are you going to take a shower?" Hale asked Bo while going to the locker room.

"Yeah I will. See you in 20 minutes," answered Bo.

Since no one was around, she hurriedly got out of her uniform. Still wearing a white shirt and a boxer shorts, she took out her robe and a towel from one of the hangers. Although she was alone, she didn't want to walk around the locker room naked. Unlike the other women officers, she was very conscious of how she handles herself in front of them. It was a habit she picked up when she was a varsity basketball player in college.

She went to one of the shower stalls and took off her undergarments one by one until she was naked. She turned on the shower and let the water flow down her hair. She lifted her head so the water could touch her neck before running down her skin; trickling around each shape of her body and down her legs until it parted with her naked body to mingle on the floor and fall down the small drain in the middle of the stall. She washed her hair thoroughly before her hands went down to the other parts of her body. She felt the familiar pull of arousal when she's touching herself like this. But she can't feel like that right now, especially when she suddenly thought of Lauren. _Shit no, doing it right here when I'm thinking about her is not right!_ She hurriedly washed the remnants of soap off her body. _I wish there's a cold water shower here._ She turned off the shower and toweled herself dry.

She reached out for her duffel bag on the bench right in front of the shower stall. She quickly retrieved her black sports bra and a pair of black panties. She wanted her undergarments like that, they should match. Next was her black combat pants then her red and black flannel long sleeve roll-up shirt. She went to her locker and got her black combat shoes. She checked herself in the mirror. She consciously touched her hair. It was the bane of her existence. She'll just comb it then that's it.

But she suddenly remembered that her bike was still in the station. So she got her black leather jacket, helmet and gloves from the locker.

She went out of the women's locker room and met Hale in the lobby.

"We need to pass by my house so I could drop my bike. After that we go to Lauren's house. She invited us for dinner."

"Cool. Okay so I ride your bike then you drive your truck?" Hale teased.

"Of course not. Get in the truck now please." She loosely gathered her long hair at the top of her head and made the 'pineapple' technique. She put on her leather jacket, gloves and helmet and texted a reply to Lauren. She started her bike, opened her eye shield and looked at Hale. "See you at the house okay?" She rode away and left Hale. He just shook his head and started the truck.

 **LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG**

 **Westville New Haven**

"So what are we going to do while we wait for our special guests?" Ciara asked, smiling widely at Lauren. "Finally, I will meet the beloved Officer Dennis."

Lauren rolled her eyes. "Are you going to be this exuberant the entire evening?

"Maybe, maybe not. It depends on how the evening will go."

"What about we taste that blueberry pie that you baked Ci?" Vex asked.

"Aren't we going to wait for them? If we are going to eat the blueberry pie then our appetite for dinner will be ruined." Ciara pointed out.

"Not my appetite." Vex pouted.

"We should wait for them. Can we just watch a movie?" Lauren suggested.

"Can we at least eat some snacks while watching? I'm a little bit hungry." Vex said.

"Popcorn?"

"Of course."

"I also like a Coke. How about the two of you?" Vex asked.

Ciara looked at Lauren. "I'll just have water. I'm building up my appetite since we're going to eat pizza, pasta and pies later."

"Me too. So what are we going to watch?"

"May I suggest Devil Wears Prada?" Ciara grinned. She held up a DVD copy of the movie.

"I looooove Meryl Streep. She's a fellow Yalie." Vex smiled. "The movie was released this June. How come we already have the DVD?"

"I just found it near our new LCD TV. Actually we have 20 new movie DVDs, including this one. I think the movies were just released this year. When I saw them lying around, I gathered the DVDs and kept them here inside the cabinet." Ciara opened the cabinet below the TV rack and brought out the said DVDs.

"Great. I officially love Netflix." Vex grinned. He scanned the movies. "Hmmm I would love to watch The Fast and The Furious but I don't think it's the night for a testosterone-filled entertainment."

"We should watch it when Dyson and Ryan are here." Ciara added.

"Oh no, not with Ryan. Remember, he's a businessman who sold cars. He will just talk and talk about cars and no one would understand the movie. I've already experienced it once. I won't stay for the second time." Vex disagreed.

"Vex, can you go with me in the kitchen so that I could start making popcorn? Let Ciara prepare the TV and the DVD player for the movie." Lauren stood up from the couch and walked to the kitchen followed by Vex.

Once they reached the kitchen, Lauren turned around and whispered, "Do I look okay?" She gestured at her loose pink long-sleeved shirt and brown capri pants outfit combination.

Vex chuckled. "You looked cute and adorable. Did you plan this look? You also tied your hair up."

"Of course not." Lauren snorted. She reached up to open the cabinet where the popcorn bags were stored. "How many popcorn do you think we can consume?"

"You know that she will like you even if you wore a sack or a burlap." He assured her. "Why don't we pop three bags and see where it goes?"

They walked back to the living room with their snacks and drinks. They saw that Ciara was already sliding in the disc into the player.

Lauren's phone beeped for an incoming text. She read it and smiled. "They're on their way."

"Good. Let's get it on with the movie, shall we?" Vex grinned.

"I suggest that we now order the pizza. That will take 30-45 minutes right?" Ciara suggested.

"Okay, let me call Town House Pizza." Vex dialed the pizza house delivery number. "I'll order 2 large pizzas, one Meat Lover's and one Al Fresco. Add in 3 orders of Jalapeno poppers." He looked at Lauren and Ciara. "Do you have anything to add?"

"One garden salad please."

"Mine is the Greek salad. Thanks."

"Got it." He repeated the orders to the order taker. When the call ended he said, "The food will be here in 45 minutes. Now, what can we do?"

"Watch Meryl Streep charm us with her acting flair." Lauren grinned.

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 **Downtown New Haven**

As expected, Bo reached their destination first. She parked her bike on the usual spot near their house. She carried her helmet and gloves planning to put them inside the house before Hale arrives. She was looking for her keys inside the pocket of her leather jacket when she saw Tamsin sitting at the stairs in their back entrance, a lighted cigarette in her hand.

Bo raised her eyebrow and muttered, "I didn't know you smoke Tam."

The taller woman jumped up and cursed loudly. "Shit Bo, I thought I'm having a heart attack. You caught me off guard. Why are you here? I thought you and Hale are going to see Dr. Lewis tonight."

"Yeah we will. I just dropped off my bike. Hale was driving the truck. He will be here in a few minutes. When did you start smoking? Where's Kenzi?"

"She's with Nate. They just left 10 minutes ago. I started smoking a year ago."

"How many of that every day?"

"Just 2 to 3 sticks."

"Don't let Pops see or smell you okay?"

Tamsin shrugged.

"What are you doing here? You are usually out at this time every Saturday." Bo looked at Tamsin's bruise. "How's the pain? It's now more blue than black."

"Tolerable. It's the reason why I'm not out there banging it with someone else. Besides, I haven't gotten any number last night because of this damn bruise."

"You really have a dirty mouth." Bo grimaced and shook her head. "Why don't you go upstairs and rest?"

"Yeah I will as soon as I finished this." She pointed at the cigarette. "I will be starting the sketch for the restaurant later."

"Good." They heard the honk of the truck. "Hale is here." Bo sat beside Tamsin and checked her ankle holster. Tamsin saw the gun. "You still carry that when off-duty?"

"Of course. It's just a precaution. And I'm like naked if I don't carry a gun when I'm out."

"Is that Glock 26?"

"Yes."

"What about your side arms?"

"Glock 17." Bo stood up and shake off the dirt in her pants. "I need to go now. Can you put these on the side table near the television?" She passed the helmet and gloves to Tamsin. The blonde nodded. "Thanks. Put more ice on that bruise okay?" She didn't wait for a reply and walked towards her partner in the truck.

She slid up the passenger seat and turned to Hale. "Let's go. I'll just text Lauren that we're on our way." She pulled out her phone and texted a message to the doctor.

Hale typed in the address of their destination to the truck's GPS navigation device while Bo turned on the radio. After a few beats, the beautiful and soothing tenor voice of Darren Hayes was heard throughout the truck, belting I Knew I Loved You.

 ** _I knew I loved you before I met you_**

 ** _I think I dreamed you into life_**

 ** _I knew I loved you before I met you_**

 ** _I have been waiting all my life_**

Bo sighed and changed the station. She frowned when Styx's Love at First Sight made its presence known.

 ** _Love at first sight_**

 ** _I know that this can't be happening_**

 ** _No, not to someone like me_**

 ** _Love at first sight_**

 ** _It's hard to keep your balance_**

 ** _Moving past the point of no return_**

She looked at the radio like it's some kind of torture device. She bit her lip and changed the station once again. She scoffed when the lyrics of Roberta Flack's The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face worked its way to her ears.

 ** _The first time ever I saw your face_**

 ** _I thought the sun rose in your eyes_**

 ** _And the moon and the stars were the gifts you gave_**

 ** _To the dark and the endless skies_**

She turned off the radio. Hale giggled at his partner's obvious dilemma right that very moment. "Looks like the entities above were conspiring to get you in the groove partner!"

"Ha ha ha! I can't believe you found that funny huh!" Her arms were crossed defensively against her chest.

"You have to admit it's kinda funny! It's like all the radio stations decided to make it 'Play All the Love at First Sight Songs' day." When the traffic light turned to red, Hale turned and looked at her partner. "You know, it will be more unpleasant if you keep on fighting what you are feeling. Just let go. If you are going to keep a tight lid on it, it will just explode into your face sooner or later."

Bo's face softened and smiled. "Okay."

"Just be your charming self, partner. You are already drawn to each other. You are already friends, you even text each other now. That's not even possible two days ago!" He eyed his partner up and down. "And look at you, wow!"

"Yeah well thank you Hale. You're a good wingman." She winked.

"Thank you. Even though I have a tiny weeny crush on your object of affection?" He grinned.

"That's okay, she's crushable. I get it. As long as it remains as that, we won't have any problem at all." She sighed and looked at the scene outside. "The drive to their house was rather nice and peaceful," she observed.

"I agree, not too much traffic. Lots of trees and grass. And the houses were nice and big." Hale added. "We're near." The truck was now easing through Edgewood Ave. "Are you ready?"

"As ready as I can be."

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 **Westville New Haven**

Vex pulled his cellphone and texted a message. After a while, he saw Hale was calling. He answered right away.

"Hale, where are you and Bo?"

 ** _"_** ** _Vex, we are already here in Edgewood Ave. So we're near right?"_**

"You are. Step on it man! I'm already starving. Don't tell me the two of you are not!" Vex chuckled.

 ** _"_** ** _We actually are!"_**

"Okay, I already ordered the pizza."

 ** _"_** ** _We are now turning on your street. See you!"_**

Vex turned to her housemates and announced, "They're near. Good thing I already ordered the pizza."

"I need to go to the kitchen and start preparing the pasta." Lauren announced and escaped to the kitchen.

"Lo wait..." Vex hollered. He looked at Ciara. He paused the movie.

"Uh uh someone is hiding." Ciara teased and looked at Vex. Vex shrugged.

"I heard that. I will just prepare the pasta noodles."

"Whatever Lo."

After a few minutes, they heard the sound of the doorbell.

"They are here!" Vex hurriedly went to the door and opened it. He immediately saw Bo, then Hale.

"Officers Dennis and Santiago, good evening! Come in." He smiled widely and winked.

"Hi Mr. Tate. Thank you for inviting us over." Bo smiled at Vex. "So how are you? Did you suffer from hangover?"

Vex laughed. "Not really. Although I need to take some pain medicine for the slight headache but I survived." He turned to Hale. "How's the drive?" He looked past them and saw the red Dodge truck parked outside. "Is that yours?"

Hale answered, "Although I was the designated driver tonight, the truck was Bo's."

"Wow, really?" He looked at Bo. "I never pegged you as a truck girl. I thought I'll see you with a Camaro or a Mustang."

Bo smiled. "Actually the truck was owned by my grandfather but he can't drive anymore so he let me use it while my car was still in the garage."

"So tell me Officer Dennis, is your car a Camaro or a Mustang?"

"Unfortunately no. It's just a Subaru."

"Near enough. Let's go this way." He led them to the living room where Ciara was situated in front of the television. "Bo, Hale I want you to meet Dr. Ciara Adkins. Ciara, this is Police Officer Ysabeau Dennis. And this one is Police Officer Hale Santiago." Ciara smiled and shook their hands.

"So you are the Officer Dennis that I have been hearing about these last few months."

"Last few months?" Bo grinned impishly, her dimples making an appearance.

"Uh did I say last few months?" Ciara cringed on her tactlessness. _Thank goodness Lauren was in the kitchen._

Vex tried to save Ciara from losing her face, "Yes you did but maybe it slipped your mind but it has been only these last few 'days'."

"Oh yeah that's it." She cleared her throat. "Please sit down officers. We were watching a movie when you called."

The officers went to sit down on the couch but Bo hesitated and asked, "Where's Dr. Lewis?"

 _Of course you will notice that she's not here._ "She's in the kitchen. Would you like to go there and see her?" Vex smiled. "Just go through that door, turn right and you can see the kitchen right away." He winked and looked at Hale. Hale snickered.

Bo blushed. "I just want to greet her, that's all."

"Oh partner, you didn't need to justify your actions to us. We understood. Go on. We're fine here. I'd like to know more of Dr. Adkins." Hale winked.

"Okay. Dr. Adkins, if you will excuse me." She put her hands inside her pockets and sighed.

"Call me Ciara. Go see Lauren."

She smiled and didn't wait for another word and she hurriedly went to the find Lauren.

Vex looked at Ciara and Hale. "So we're chopped livers now." He laughed. "I really wanted to know the updates on the case but I'll wait until dinner."

"Okay. I'm really looking forward in telling you all the information that we have gathered today. We also have some questions for you Vex and Lauren."

"That's fine."

"Dr. Adkins..."

"Call me Ciara Officer Santiago."

"Then please call me Hale." He paused. "Ciara, I also have some questions for you if that's okay."

"No problem Hale."

"Good. So what are you watching before we arrived?" Hale asked.

Ciara started the movie again.

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Lauren knew the exact time when she felt someone was staring at her. The hair on the back of her neck stood up and her heart raced but she didn't feel scared. She knew it wasn't Vex or Ciara because they won't hesitate to announce their presence. She knew who it was. She stopped what she was doing for a second and blew a breath. She continued to focus on her task and let the person decide whenever she wanted her presence known.

Bo stood awkwardly by the kitchen's door when she found Lauren looking down at the table and doing something with her hands. She knew it was foolish not to let her presence known right away but she wanted to see this unguarded moment for a little bit longer. She stared shamelessly at Lauren – her flowing blonde hair that framed her beautiful face, her long and graceful neck, the slender built of her body, her lean arms and fingers. She wanted to do this longer but she knew it was borderline creepy to just stare. So she cleared her throat and announced herself.

"Hi Lauren."

She saw the blonde bit her lip and smiled slightly. _She knew it's me_ _._ She can't help but to smile widely when Lauren finally looked up and met her eyes.

"Hi Bo." _Finally._

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 **Author's Note: Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Although it was not celebrated here in my country, I'm feeling the vibe because of my work. Please read and review. This is the longest chapter so far. Next would be more Bo and Lauren moments so stay tuned. Thank you.**

 **Twitter: WonderChaser**


	9. Chapter 9 - Fall 2006

**Author's Note: As I promised, this chapter has lots and lots of BoLo moments.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Lost Girl and the characters. I just used them for my story.**

 **Trigger Warning: Some parts of this chapter will describe scenes of physical abuse so I changed the rating to M.**

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 **Chapter Nine**

It was Lauren's turn to stare at the officer, drinking her up. She loved how the brunette's pants hugged her legs. It was looser than the usual pants but it fit her perfectly. It was the first time she saw Bo dressed in plainclothes so she stared longer than the usual. _It's my time to stare._ She smirked. _She carried herself well. And I love red on her. Is she wearing a belt? I would love to unbuckle it and... Shit! What am I thinking?_ She cleared her throat. _She forgot to look at the shoes._ She looked down. _Not what I expected but God she's hot!_

Bo felt the doctor's eyes sizing her up. She was nervous when she realized that this was the first time Lauren saw her on plainclothes. But when she saw the smirk, she blew a breath and felt her relax. She started walking towards Lauren and stopped in front of her. "How are you doing, Dr. Lewis?"

Lauren loved how Bo pronounced the word 'Doctor'. She delivered it with respect and awe. There was also a tinge of seductive reverence. Or maybe she just imagined it. "I'm doing well, Officer Dennis. Thank you for asking. And you?"

"The same." She smiled. She looked down at the table and realized that the doctor was wearing an apron and was tinkering with a pasta machine. "Is it what I think it is?"

Lauren grinned. "Yes it is."

"You were making fresh pasta noodles?"

"Yes I am."

"Wow! I've been watching cooking shows because I really love food but this was the first time that I saw someone making it."

Lauren smiled. "Then let's get it on. But first, if you really were watching these cooking shows, what are the ingredients in making fresh pasta noodles?"

"Uh of course flour, eggs and salt."

"Yeah that would be enough but there was some kind of a secret ingredient. Can you guess what it is?"

Bo looked at Lauren and was immediately fascinated by the doctor's light brown eyes. She didn't know that she stared longer than usual. She just realized it when she heard Lauren cleared throat and said, "Bo, you won't find the answer in my eyes." Lauren grinned.

She laughed lightly and said, "Busted! So what was it?"

"Extra virgin olive oil."

"Oh I didn't think of that."

"That's okay. Not all used this secret ingredient."

"May I ask why fresh pasta noodles?" Bo asked.

Lauren smiled. "Well at first, I was told that the using fresh pasta noodles and dry pasta noodles depends on the sauce. The rule of thumb they said was if you were going to cook an oil based pasta dish, you should go with dry pasta; if it's a cream or dairy-based then use fresh pasta."

"Well, did you believe them?"

"At first. But Bo, I am a scientist and I love to experiment. I tried alternating the sauces to the types of pasta. They taste the same to me. The only advantage that I observed was that fresh pasta noodles were easier to cook."

"And you knew how to make them."

"That's a better reason I think." She keeps on tinkering with the pasta machine then suddenly she got back to the dough. She divided it into 6 smaller pieces and flattened it with her hand until it's about half an inch thick. She dusted it lightly with flour and passed it through the machine rollers at the widest setting.

Bo observed how meticulous Lauren was with the dough. She zoned on the doctor's hands and thought of all the other things those hands can do to her. _What? Get off your mind out of the gutter and behave! You already thought of her when you were in the shower earlier. You are in her kitchen!_ She cleared her throat. "So you really love to cook?"

"I do ever since I was a kid."

"How old were you when you realized you loved cooking?"

"I started cooking when I was six years old. Right there and then, I came to love it. It was fascinating. I cooked my first omelet a few months after."

"Wow that's awesome. Who taught you how to cook?"

"It was my nanny, Nana Lupe. She's a Mexican and was hired by my parents when I was four." She went on and told Bo about her nanny's adventures around the world. "She was like that for 10 years and she learned how to be a great cook. She returned to her home town and shared what she had learned. She told me that she longed to have her own restaurant on her own. But that time, she already met her husband, who was a fellow Mexican and a farmer. They crossed the borders and went to California. They got married and became American citizens."

"So you are from California?"

"Yes. My father was from Torrance while my mother was from Los Angeles. What about you Bo? Are you originally from here?"

"My maternal grandfather was originally from here but my father and his ancestors were from Queens, New York. I was born and raised there but I also came here for vacation and on occasions. When I graduated from college, I transferred here and I lived here since then."

"When was that?"

"2002."

Lauren smiled widely. "Well I was here longer than you huh. I came here in 1995." Then a realization hit her. "I just realized that I was here for 11 years now."

"Do you love it here?"

"Yeah I love New Haven. _I love it more now because you are here. "_ Initially it was because Yale was here. Eventually I saw the charm of living in a city that was not too busy as New York or Los Angeles. I also love that it was near the sea but unfortunately, I hadn't been near the sea since I left California."

"Did you miss your hometown?"

"Sometimes."

Bo waited if Lauren will say something further but she stopped talking and had a wistful look on her face. She wanted to ask why but she stopped herself from prying. She will wait for anything that the doctor was willing to share with her. She heard Lauren sigh and that caught her attention.

"I miss my parents and my brother. I also miss my grandparents, especially my paternal grandparents."

"You have a brother?"

"Yes, my twin brother and his name is Vincent."

"Were you identical twins?"

"Fortunately no, just fraternal. I'm way better-looking than him." Lauren grinned smugly.

Bo chuckled. "I need pictures."

Lauren was shocked. "You didn't believe me?"

"To see is to believe." Of course she believed Lauren but she wanted to be playful. It was nice teasing the doctor.

"How dare you Officer Dennis!" She pouted. "Wait, I have a picture of us here in my cellphone." She put her hands in the pockets of her apron and got her phone out. She scanned the pictures and found what she wanted. "Here's our recent picture. It was two months ago on my birthday." She walked over to Bo and handed her cellphone to the brunette. "He's just taller than me but other than that, there's no way he's better than me."

Bo looked at the picture and saw a tall handsome young man with light brown hair, dark brown eyes and a cleft chin. His arms were around his sister's shoulder and both smiled widely at the camera.

"So officer, what can you say about the evidence?"

Bo pretended to think about it, "Well…"

"Officer Dennis, I really thought you were on my side. Now I had some serious doubts about it. Earlier I thought of having you taste some of my pies but now…" Lauren sighed and shrugged.

Bo was shocked. "Wait! You also baked?"

"Yup. Earlier this morning, I baked two delectable pies. One was Cinnamon Crumble Apple pie and the other one was Spiced Pumpkin Custard pie. And then this afternoon, Ciara and I baked a blueberry pie. So what do you think officer?"

"They all sound delicious doctor! I loved pies and I could say that I had eaten my share of pies when I was still living in New York. My favorite was the Chocolate Cream pie. I had eaten several kinds of apple pies and blueberry pies. I had eaten a pumpkin pie once and that was years ago. So I'm curious with your Spiced Pumpkin Custard pie."

"I can give you a slice but then you know, you contradicted me earlier so…"

"No I did not. I was just teasing you. Of course I believed you." Bo smiled sweetly.

Lauren laughed. "So you will do anything just to taste the pies huh?"

"Of course."

"I relent." The blonde smiled. "I'm sorry if I didn't ask you earlier if you were hungry. When was the last time you ate?"

"Hale and I ate a late lunch so it's okay. But it won't hurt if you will give me a slice of the pumpkin pie." Bo smirked.

"Okay. Please sit down and I'll serve you. What do you want for drinks?"

"For the pumpkin pie? Just water please. Thank you."

Lauren moved to the refrigerator and opened it. She took out the pie and laid it on the table. She went to the cupboard to get a knife. She also took a small plate and a glass.

"Here it is." She put a slice of the pumpkin pie on the small plate and poured Bo a glass of cold water.

Bo eyed the pie and then started eating it. When she ate the first bite, her eyes got wide. And then she ate another bite then another one. "Wow Lauren, that was delicious! And I tasted ginger, cinnamon and something else. The combination of pumpkin, the spices and custard was astounding."

"The other spice was allspice. And thank you Bo. I'm glad that you liked it."

"Liked it? No, I officially loved it." _And I officially love you. "_ This is now my favorite pie."

"Are you serious Bo? My pumpkin pie was better than the chocolate cream pie?"

"Yes it was. That pie was composed of chocolate and cream so it should really be delicious but your pumpkin pie? It was out of this world delicious. Wow!"

"You're not saying that just to ask for another slice, are you?"

"No, of course not. It was really delicious. The other slice, I'll eat that after dinner." Bo winked.

Lauren laughed. "Well thank you again Bo." She went to the refrigerator and take out a pack of sliced pancetta.

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"Do you think we can disturb them now? Our food was already here." Vex wondered while balancing two boxes of pizza.

Hale stood up and over to Vex. "Here let me help you." Vex gave the boxes to Hale.

Ciara smiled. "Do you think they were doing something else in the kitchen right now?"

Vex and Hale laughed. "I don't think Bo will do something to Lauren in there. She's a gentleman, if there's a better word for that. She respects Lauren a lot." Hale explained.

"No need for that Hale. We knew that. I'm worried that Lauren will do something to Bo." Vex laughed.

Hale laughed.

"So give them another 10 minutes or so?" Ciara asked.

"Or so." Vex shrugged.

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"Hey you already finished the pasta noodles?" Bo saw the freshly done pasta noodles. "I didn't see you slicing them."

"Well I used the pasta machine so the noodles will have the same size and thickness. Now I need to sauté the pancetta."

"What are you cooking by the way?"

"Carbonara. Do you like carbonara?"

"I do. I love pasta dishes but my favorite was lasagna."

"Well maybe next time I can cook lasagna for you. But now, I can only cook carbonara."

"Wow!" _I officially love you very much Dr. Lewis._ "I'll look forward to that." She looked at the packed meat that Lauren was holding. "What's that?"

"This is pancetta. It's a meat product similar to bacon. They were both made from pork belly but pancetta was cured but not smoked. Bacon on the other hand, was smoked. I prefer pancetta to bacon because bacon tended to rub off the smoky flavor to the pasta dish. I will just fry this then I'll cook the pasta noodles."

"Can I help you with anything Lauren? I didn't want to just sit here and not doing anything."

"Okay. Can you help me grate the Parmigiano Reggiano and Pecorino Romano cheeses?"

"Parmigiano Reggiano is the Italian word for parmesan cheese right?" Bo grinned. "But why Pecorino Romano cheese?"

"Correct, that's the Italian word for parmesan. Pecorino Romano was the traditional cheese used in Italy for carbonara. So here's the cheese grater. I want you to fill up these bowls okay?" Lauren gave Bo two medium bowls to fill in with the cheeses. She then gave the brunette two large chunks of cheeses.

"Wow! So where do you buy your fancy cheeses? Did you usually use the original parmesan cheese or was this American made?"

"I always went to Ferraro's Market in Grand Avenue or in Skappo Merkato in Orange Street. When I'm out of the original, I did substitute it with the stateside made. Those cheeses you had in your hands were the original ones."

Bo looked at the cheese grater. "And hey you have the rotary cheese grater. My work here will be easier."

"And you need this too." Lauren held a knife and offered the handle to Bo. "You need to chop the cheeses."

"Oh right. Do you have a chopping board that I can use?"

"Yeah wait. Here it is."

Bo put down the cheese grater and started to roll her sleeves. Lauren saw her doing it so she walked over to Bo and said, "Please let me do it." She smiled.

Bo nodded and watched the blonde invade her personal space and touched her wrist. Lauren unbuttoned the cuffs and folded her sleeves up to her elbow. When she was finished, she did the same to the other sleeve. Bo's heart was beating loudly. She was flushing and prayed that Lauren won't notice it. It was a simple gesture from the blonde but Bo can't help but feel the intimacy of what the doctor did to her. _And God she smells so good._

The doctor was oblivious to Bo's strong emotions at the moment and continued to invade the police officer's personal space. She looked at Bo and suddenly frowned. "Your collar was skewed. Let me fix it for you." She stepped closer and reached for the collar. Bo hitched her breath and closed her eyes. _Did she know what she's doing to me?_

Bo opened her eyes when she heard Lauren spoke. "There you go. I fixed it."

The brunette cleared her throat and said, "Thank you Lauren."

"You're welcome." The doctor smiled sweetly. _Yes I did it!_

She turned her back to Bo and turned on the stove. She smiled smugly for what she did. _God I wanted to hug her again. She's so beautiful and she smells really good._ She put a skillet into the stove and put in the chopped pancetta. She also put a large pot on the other one to boil water for the pasta. _Was it her perfume or shampoo that I smelled?_ She added a pinch of salt for flavor.

Bo looked at Lauren cracking some eggs over a bowl. The doctor whisked it and added some pepper. She then turned to the pancetta and checked if it's cooked. She also checked the water in the large pot if it's already boiling. She then gathered the fresh pasta noodles and put them inside the large pot. Bo stood there and continuously rolling the handle while staring at Lauren. Bo can't help but to admire the blonde more. _She can cook and bake, for crying out loud!_

Lauren went back to the table and saw the brunette staring at her intently. She cleared her throat and said, "Bo, the bowls were now full."

Bo looked down. "Oh yeah. Sorry." She blushed because she knew Lauren caught her staring.

"It's okay." The blonde winked.

 _She winked? Oh my God, I'm dying!_ "So what's next?"

"Here's the bowl of the egg mixture. Please pour the grated Pecorino Romano cheese into it and whisk it until the cheese was dissolved. I'll check if the noodles were already cooked."

"Okay."

Lauren checked the noodles. "Yes, they were already cooked." She drained the noodles and put them into the skillet with the pancetta. She turned off the stove. She turned to Bo and said, "Come here and put the egg mixture into the skillet."

"What, me?"

"Yup. It's simple Bo. Just pour the mixture here." She got a pair of tongs from a drawer near the stove and waited for Bo to follow her instruction.

Bo went to the stove and pour the egg mixture into the skillet. Lauren then tossed the noodles with the egg mixture and pancetta until they were thoroughly coated. She did it for 15 to 30 seconds. She then add a half cup of the pasta water to thicken the sauce. Again, she tossed the noodles until she was satisfied.

"Now we can eat."

"Finally. It smells good."

"Bo, can you please help me with the plates?"

"Sure. Where are they?"

"In the cupboard. Just line them up on the table so I can put the pasta on each one."

Bo gathered the plates and put them on the table. Lauren then placed a serving of carbonara on each plate.

"We can now call them. I bet they are very hungry right now."

"I'll go and tell them that it's okay to go in here."

"Okay thanks Bo. But first, good job. Give me a high five then." Lauren raised her right hand and waited for Bo.

The brunette smirked and raised her right hand and made contact with the blonde's. _What an adorable dork._

"Go, call them now. I'm starving!" The doctor emphasized her request by putting her hand into her stomach.

"Yes ma'am!"

Bo went out of the kitchen to call the others. When she was finally in the living room, Ciara, Vex and Hale stared at her.

"Were you two finished what you're doing there in the kitchen for the past hour?" Vex asked.

"Uh yeah. You can go in there now so we could eat."

The three stood up. Ciara exclaimed, "Well finally! We thought you forgot about us."

Vex and Ciara went ahead and entered the kitchen. Hale went to Bo and smiled. "Way to go partner. You were there with the doctor for an hour. What did you do?"

"I helped her cook our dinner." She smiled.

"Really? The hot and gorgeous doctor can cook?" Hale whispered.

"And bake." Bo added.

"Whoa! You are indeed very lucky partner. She can cook and bake? If I were you, I'll marry her right now!" Hale exclaimed.

"Lower your voice! Don't be ridiculous. Not so fast. We need to eat." Bo winked.

"Hey you two! What are doing there?" Vex asked. He turned to Bo and smiled. "What did you do to her for an hour huh? Did you toss chivalry out and kissed her already?" His tone light and teasing.

Bo scoffed. "Of course not, I won't do that to her. I respect Lauren a lot."

"So why were your sleeves folded like that hmmm? They weren't like that when you arrived earlier."

"Well I offered to help her and she said I could grate the cheese. I was folding my sleeves when she said she could that for me. She didn't wait for my permission. She just invaded my personal space and folded my sleeves."

Vex laughed out loud. "Oh my! Just as I thought."

"So what about my honor? Aren't you going to ask me if I felt harassed?"

"I'll humor you. So did you feel harassed? I bet you liked it." Vex winked.

Bo smiled widely.

"That smile told me all I wanted to know. Well come on. Let's eat." The three went inside the kitchen and found Lauren and Ciara waiting for them.

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 **Nurses' Station 4** **th** **Floor**

 **Yale New Haven Hospital**

The night was slow on fourth floor of the Yale New Haven Hospital. Nurse Martha Henderson was looking at the schedule of her rounds for the next day when she saw a ginger haired woman lurking outside of the nurses' station. "Hey how are you? You were missing in action for a week. What happened to you?"

"I just went home and visited my folks."

"But did you ask the head nurse's permission? Because she was bugging me for two days now."

"No, it was an emergency."

"Okay. But still, you need to inform her if you were not going to report for work. Was it your first time to be absent without leave?"

"Yes it was."

"Then you need to go to her immediately and explain your side. You'll be lucky if she will just give you a reprimand."

"Okay I will. Thank you." The redhead smiled. "So what happened when I was away?"

"Well you knew Dr. Nadia Woods right?"

The younger woman nodded.

"She was brought to the ER last night and she was unconscious. The nurse on duty at the ER last night, Nurse Leslie Lopez, told me that the doctor's body was full of bruises and welts. The police talked to me and I found out that her husband was responsible for what happened to her."

The redhead was obviously shocked by the news. Her voice quivered when she asked, "How was she now?"

The older nurse saw that the news really affected the younger nurse. "She's okay now. The police already talked to her and gave her statement. Were the two of you close?"

"No. I was just shocked that someone can do that to his wife." _Oh my God, what have I done?_

"Sad right?" Nurse Henderson sighed. "So are you going to be on duty tonight?"

"Well I need to speak to the head nurse tonight. If she'll allow me, then I'll work graveyard."

"Okay. Let's wait for the next on-duty nurse then I'll go home."

"Was it okay for me to go ahead and speak to the head nurse while you're waiting?"

"Sure, no problem."

"Thank you." The redhead walked towards the elevator. She changed her mind and turned left towards the stairs. She sat down. Her mind was in chaos and she can't stop the tears that were falling. _What have I done?_ She repeatedly asked herself that question. _I need to see her._ But right now, she needs to break down and chase her present demon.

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 **Westville New Haven**

When Ciara saw Vex, Bo and Hale approaching, she asked Lauren if they could transfer the food and their talk to the dining area.

"That's a good idea Ci." She turned to the other three. "Let's transfer the food to the dining area so we could eat and sit properly."

"I agree but first, what about your drinks? I'll make my own gin and tonic. How about you Bo and Hale?" Vex asked.

"I don't drink any alcoholic beverages except for beer and wine." Bo informed Vex. "So I could go with either one if you have it or maybe I'll just stick to non-alcoholic drinks like Coke, fruit juice or water."

"Really? I didn't expect that." Vex was shocked. He turned to Hale. "What about you bro?"

"I do drink alcoholic beverages but my preference would be mojito and soju. Gin and tonic would be okay for me but now I can't."

"Why?"

"I had a little accident early this morning. That was after I dropped Bo at her house. I was already near my house when I got really sleepy and I drove my car into a tree."

"When the two of you went to the hospital earlier, did you let someone check you for concussion?" Ciara asked.

Bo frowned. "Oh I didn't think of that. But I gave him a Tylenol. He said he just felt a slight headache."

"Yeah it's true Doc, just a slight headache. And I didn't bump my head. I was just shaken, that's all."

"Okay. But just to be sure, stay away from alcoholic drinks."

"Affirmative Doc, thanks."

They transferred all the food into the dining area and got their drinks – gin and tonic for Vex, Coke for Bo and Hale and orange juice for Lauren and Ciara.

The table at the dining area was a 10-seater. Vex sat at the head of the table. Lauren sat at his right while Ciara sat at his left.

"Bo, sit beside Lauren and Hale, sit beside Ciara. There you go." Vex smiled widely. "Alright, I am really hungry but I'm also curious about Nadia and Percy. So maybe we can eat and talk right?"

The other agreed so they started getting their slices of pizza.

"Who wants one of my jalapeno poppers huh?" Vex asked. He dangled a piece in front of Ciara. "You want some Ci?"

"You know that I don't like spicy food Vex." Ciara said while munching her pizza.

Vex shrugged. "How about you Lo?"

"Give me one."

"Are you sure?"

"Vex, jalapeños aren't that hot okay? They only had 2,500 to 5,000 SHU or Scoville Heat Units. The hottest pepper, the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion, had 2,009,231 SHU." Lauren said.

Vex smiled. "Okay, I'm not really surprised that you knew about that." He looked at Bo and Hale. "How about you guys?"

Bo and Hale nodded. "Why not?" Bo said.

The four of them bit on their respective jalapeño poppers.

Vex frowned. "It was a little bit anticlimactic." He looked at Bo and Hale. "So officers, what can you tell us about the case of Nadia and Percy."

Bo smiled. "I'll let Hale start the story."

Hale relented. "That's fine with me but let me first eat this plate of carbonara over here. Looks good Doc." He winked at Lauren. He twirled his fork into the noodles, lifted it into his mouth and ate it all up. His eyes widened and smiled. "It's delicious." He thought for a while. "There's something new that I've never tasted in a pasta dish. The noodles, you made them scratch right?"

Lauren smiled. "Yes, that's correct."

Hale continuously ate the pasta while eyeing it suspiciously. "The meat was not bacon right Doc?"

"Yes, it's pancetta."

"Oh that's the new one. I've never had carbonara with pancetta before. It was always bacon."

Bo raised her eyebrow. "So how did you know all about that?"

"I told you that I can also cook but not pasta dishes. That's my mom's specialty. Mine's meat stews."

"Oh yeah, the lamb stew that you gave Kenzi some time ago. I just ate a morsel of it because she ate it all up. I was wondering why you never brought me some of it."

Hale blushed. "Well I... I'm sorry Bo. Next time, I'll bring you some."

Ciara was curious. "Who's Kenzi?"

"Yeah I'm curious Hale." Vex looked at Hale. "I know she's Bo's bestfriend but other than that, I didn't know her at all."

Bo looked at Hale. "Hale, answer Ciara's question please." She was giddy that her partner was now being scrutinized and not her.

"Well I... uh... Kenzi was also a friend of mine. I've known her because of Bo. We met two years ago when I finished my training in police academy."

"She's just a friend?" Ciara probed further.

Lauren leaned into Bo and whispered, "Is Hale okay? He seems flustered."

Bo whispered back. "He's not used to people asking him about Kenzi, specifically."

"Why?"

 _I was the same when people were asking me about you._ "He has strong emotions for Kenzi. I don't think he's ready to share though."

"Okay. I understand." Lauren nodded. She looked at Ciara. "Ci, I think Hale wasn't ready to answer that." She laughed a little. "Look at him, have mercy. Well because of that, I'll refill his plate with carbonara." She winked at Hale.

Hale blew a breath. "Thank you Doc."

"Oh sorry Hale. I was just being curious because you had that look for a moment there you know." Ciara smiled.

"Yeah well, they said I occasionally wore my heart on my sleeve so I can't blame you for being curious. But it's all good."

Vex interjected. "What's the look that you were talking about?"

"The look of feeling strong emotions towards a person, the look of longing." Ciara answered.

"Oh I didn't see it. I was looking at my pizza." Vex smiled impishly.

This time, Bo leaned into Lauren and whispered, "There's actually a complication."

"Complication?"

"On Kenzi's side."

"What do you mean?"

"I'll text it to you later."

"Okay."

Vex saw Bo and Lauren were whispering to each other so cleared his throat and said, "Hey, care to share with the class?"

Lauren answered, "Can't Vex. It was a secret. That's why we were whispering."

Bo smirked.

"Okay, okay. Secrets!" Vex frowned. _I'll just harass Lauren about it later._ "Can we get on with the story? Hale?"

Hale nodded. "Well, Bo and I planned to start our day after lunch but she called me around 9:30 in the morning to tell me that Sergeant Smith called and we were instructed to go to the station for a briefing because Dr. Woods had woken up and was already conscious. When we were already on our way, he called again to tell us to go straight to the hospital because earlier this morning, the Saunder's family lawyer came to town and was asked to represent Percy. But lo and behold, Percy refused and was adamant to represent himself."

"Bollocks!" Vex laughed. "He was digging his own grave, for Christ's sake!"

"Well we all knew that he's not the sharpest knife out there. He's not a trial lawyer, right? I doubt if he could save himself from all of these." Ciara commented.

"Good thing that Nadia was already awake. Did she answer all of your questions?" Lauren asked.

Hale smiled at her. "Save the best for last Doc." He then continued his narrative. "The lawyer and Percy argued inside the room where he was detained. So the sergeant instructed us to get the statement from Nadia's attending physician, Dr. Patricia Holland."

"Nadia's attending physician was Dr. Holland? How? I mean, she was one of our professors back in medical school but she didn't care for Nadia." Ciara said.

"I think she did that because Dr. Holland cared for Nadia as a colleague now." Lauren stated.

"Yeah that's what she said." Hale agreed. He then told them about the pattern they had formed regarding the three times when Nadia was brought to the ER.

"What?! This incident was the third time Nadia was physically abused by Saunders? Fuck! I didn't like Nadia ever since I met her but she didn't deserve that kind of treatment!" Vex vehemently stated.

Lauren was shocked. "But why? Was there someone in Nadia's life that caused this kind of abuse from her husband?"

"On this part of the story, I want my partner to do the talking." Hale winked.

Bo glared at Hale. "Thank you Hale." She cleared her throat. "That someone was Dr. Adam Carlo."

"What?" Ciara laughed. "That pompous bastard?"

"Exactly my description of him." Bo pointed at Ciara. "He gatecrashed our interview with Dr. Holland. He wanted to know how Nadia was and then he started talking. He's so full of himself."

"He's a big flirt. Did he try it with you?" Ciara asked.

Bo blushed and avoided Ciara's eyes.

"Oh he did! How did he do it? Please I'm curious."

"We asked if we could formally speak to him regarding this case. He said yes and wrote his personal number at the back of his calling card. He gave the card to me."

Vex raised his eyebrow. "So what did you do?"

"I received it then I gave the card to Hale." Bo laughed. "I'll let Hale deal with him."

"Good decision." Vex said while looking at Lauren who was looking down at her plate, jabbing her fork at her salad greens.

"There's something else actually..." Bo bit her lip and looked at Hale. Hale sighed.

"Uhuh looks like you're going to say something ugly..." Vex observed.

Bo turned to Lauren. "Lauren, Dr. Carlo told us that Nadia wooed you during medical school but you rejected her several times."

"What? Adam told you that? Why?" Lauren was caught off guard by Bo's statement.

"I asked him how well he knew Nadia. He said they were classmates from their pre-med studies until medical school. He said that they got separated when Nadia chose Genetics over Emergency Medicine and insinuated that she did that because she was quite smitten with you. He said maybe the reason why she chose Genetics was because she thought if she followed you, you will change your mind about your rejection to her advances. Those were his exact words. Right Hale?"

Hale was shocked that Bo remembered Dr. Carlo's words. "Yeah, those were his exact words."

"How dare that slime ball!" Vex's fists were tightly closed.

"He also said that Nadia confessed that she was in love with Lauren but Lauren rejected her several times. Dr. Carlo said that he knew this because Nadia had been going to him crying and devastated every time." Bo added.

"Again, those were his exact words." Hale nodded.

"But I called his bullshit. Dr. Holland did too. She told him it was not necessary to the case. And I thought he blurted it out because he has his own ulterior motive. But Hale and I caught it."

"What was his motive?" Lauren asked her.

"To make you as the bait. But when we told him about the pattern that we formed along with Dr. Holland, he backtracked and got you off the hook. He then put himself into the picture, right in the front and center of it." Bo was silent for a while, her frown more pronounced. "Hale, I just realized something right now."

"What was it?"

"A conspiracy." She then looked at her plate of carbonara and ate like she haven't eaten in days. "Lauren, your carbonara was delicious." She drank her Coke and munched on her slice of pizza.

Lauren stared at Bo and laughed. She had forgotten about Dr. Carlo's indiscretion. "You are adorable when you eat like that."

Bo blushed.

"Wait Bo. You can't just say a word like that and then you don't explain your theory." Hale protested.

"Hale was right. Spill it out Bo." Vex nodded.

Ciara was smiling widely, looking at Bo and Lauren and how adorable they looked together.

"Right. I realized I haven't eaten a single noodle of Lauren's carbonara so I paused my brain." She finished the plate of carbonara and drank another gulp of Coke. "Hale the reason why I haven't laid my theory yet was because we haven't told them the whole story."

"Just tell us your theory then we'll back it up."

"Okay. I think that Dr. Carlo was hiding something. He's covering up for Dr. Woods."

"Explain your theory."

"First of all, in all our interviews it was established that Dr. Carlo and Dr. Woods were close. Why not right? They were friends from their pre-med studies up to medical school. They just separated in their residency but as you can see, they always found the time to be together outside of the hospital. They celebrated their birthdays with each other's company. I think Nurse Henderson was correct. Nadia and Adam were only close friends, nothing else. He may be Nadia's bestfriend after all. So I think, Saunders' jealousy with Adam was deemed unfounded. They were just friends, period. There's someone else." Bo turned to Lauren. "Of course it's not you." She looked at Hale. "Remember when Lieutenant Jenkins made us realize that Saunders may have another life in Delaware?"

"What did you mean by another life? Another wife?" Vex asked.

"Yes, that's correct." Bo nodded at Vex.

"What's the story behind that theory?" Lauren asked.

Bo nodded to Hale. Hale signed, "Doc, Nadia and Saunders were married three years ago. In those three years they just saw each other twice a month, except for those months with holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas."

"They agreed on this arrangement?"

"Yeah. And that's why their marriage certificate was sealed and deemed secret. That's one of the reasons why Bo and I thought that Saunders had another wife in Delaware. I placed myself into Saunders' shoes and I thought, if I were an insanely jealous husband was it enough that I was just seeing my wife twice a month? Of course not. I will definitely have talked to her and convince her to transfer to Delaware for her residency or I can be persuaded to transfer my practice here in New Haven. But in their case, that didn't happen. So there's someone on the side. We just didn't know if Nadia was the side dish or the main course."

"So Bo, when you say Adam was covering up for Nadia did you mean Nadia had someone on the side too?" Vex asked.

"We would soon find out. Our lieutenant interviewed Saunders before we went here and Percy uttered a name. I think she was the key."

"Who was it?"

"Percy said we should ask Adam and Nadia about a nurse in Yale Hospital named Miranda Hamilton."

"Wait... Miranda Hamilton? The redhead nurse?" Ciara wondered. "Lauren, she was the nurse we caught canoodling with Dr. Kirk Wells from General Surgery."

"Canoodling? You have a way with your words Doc." Hale laughed.

She laughed. "Thank you." She looked at Lauren.

Lauren frowned. "Yeah I remembered that because she wasn't apologetic when we caught her. And she actually glowered at me."

"How did you catch them?" Bo asked.

"We caught them in the on-call room. That was two years ago. We were so tired we decided to catch some sleep. It was early in the morning. We opened the door and there they were."

"You didn't hear them?"

"Actually no."

"Who's Dr. Kirk Wells?"

Ciara answered. "He's from the Surgery department. Wait, he's also in our batch in the medical school. Wow. What's with our batch?"

"You haven't catch her with another doctor other than Dr. Wells?"

"No. That would be too much."

Bo smiled. "We need to ask Nurse Henderson if she heard anything about Nurse Hamilton."

"Martha. That's Nurse Henderson's first name." Lauren said.

"I'll take note of that. Thank you." Bo smiled. "Did you have any idea why she glowered at you? Any untoward incident happened between the two of you?"

"No, I was confused when she did that. That was only the second time I saw her. The first time was when Nurse Henderson introduced her to us. She was fairly new when we caught her with Dr. Wells."

"Wow and she was already canoodling with a doctor? That was fast." Vex commented.

"Yes that was fast, considering the phrase that the doctors especially the male ones, attached on her." Ciara said.

"And that was?"

"Sex on a stick."

"So now we established that, why do you think Saunders needed to mention her? Something to do with your conspiracy theory?" Vex asked.

"Well there you have it. She was called as 'sex on a stick'. So she was sexually attractive. What if Nadia and Nurse Hamilton was involved with each other? It may be the thing that Adam was covering up. He's Nadia bestfriend after all. He would do that for her, right?" Bo countered.

"Yeah that's possible." Vex agreed. "Since all the people you interviewed today denied that Nadia and Adam were having an affair. But why would Saunders be jealous of him? And based on the pattern that you had formed, his birthday was significant."

"I am thinking that Saunders is jealous of Adam not because he's having an affair with his wife but the fact that Adam was the only constant person in her life right now. And Adam may know all her secrets. He was the man Nadia was latched into, always. He's also the person she called on her first two trips in the ER. She trusted him that much. And Saunders can't be that person to his wife."

"Considering that Saunders and Nadia started as friends in Yale, maybe his ego was hurt that another man became closer to his wife." Hale added.

Lauren leaned forward and said, "What if Nadia and Miranda were not involved? What if Nadia was involved with someone else? We were considering that because Saunders mentioned Nurse Hamilton's name but what if instead of being Nadia's lover, Miranda was Saunders' spy?"

"I have another theory." Ciara raised her hand. "What if Miranda was both? She was Nadia's lover and at the same time, she was Saunders' spy." She smiled widely. "That's possible right?" She looked at friends around the table.

"So Nadia was spy-banged?" Vex retorted.

Bo grimaced. "I don't like that term but yeah, it's accurate."

"How was Nadia when you talked to her?" Lauren asked.

"As okay as she can be, considering what happened to her last night." Bo sighed. "She was in control of her faculties when she answered our questions although she faltered on some. What I couldn't forget was when she talked about how she got her wounds and bruises."

"It was excruciating to hear." Hale added.

Lauren looked at Bo and Hale. "What do you mean?"

Bo cleared her throat and bit her lip. "She was naked when she was whipped."

"But she was fully clothed when we found her." Lauren stated.

"That's right. She was whipped naked and then she fainted. When she woke up, she was whipped again. After that, she was beaten by a thin stick. She said that was the first time he used that to her. Then he told her to dress up. And then he whipped her again."

An awkward silence engulfed the room. No one had chosen to voice out their comment about what Bo had told them. After a while, a voice was heard.

"Well... I heard the furniture moving..." Lauren's voice was so small Bo had to lean into the blonde's personal space.

Bo understood what Lauren was trying to ask. She touched Lauren's arm and said, "No Lauren, he did not use the chairs to hurt her. Nadia told us that he kicked them when he finished whipping her. Maybe excess adrenaline or something."

Lauren was thankful that Bo understood her. "Alright. It may cause her permanent damages if he used the chair to her."

Ciara agreed. "Yes. Thank God for small miracles."

Vex nodded. "Yeah. But wow, this case looked like an episode of Grey's Anatomy. Look at all the drama - the involvement of one doctor to another then a doctor to a nurse, a spy-banging situation and maybe lots of sex." He smiled wickedly.

"You really loved that TV series a lot huh!" Ciara shook her head.

"Of course, three words Ci! Doctor Izzy Stevens!"

Bo said, "You know what Vex, you and Tamsin will agree on that. She also loved that show because of that character. She also mentioned a Doctor McDreamy and a Doctor McSteamy." She frowned.

"Oh yeah but I don't swing that way. They were good looking dudes but I don't care. Doctor Izzy was enough! Wasn't it Lauren?"

Lauren was caught off guard. "What? I don't know. I watched the show for the story, not for the characters and because of you. I told you I prefer House."

"Okay, okay fine! We should eat more." Vex bit his pasta. "Of course, this is delicious. You already perfected it." He looked at Lauren. "I heard Bo helped you cook this dish."

"I just helped her grate the cheese, put the cheese into the egg mixture and poured the mixture into the pasta." Bo answered.

Vex looked at Bo. "You did all that?" He turned to Lauren. "You allowed her to do that?" He raised his eyebrow.

Bo was confused by Vex's reaction. "I just poured it."

"Hmpf."

Lauren blushed.

"She never allowed me to do that, ever! Oh I can grate the cheese, put the cheese into the egg mixture but I can't pour the mixture into the pasta. Never! But you..." He pointed his finger to Bo.

Ciara and Hale looked at each other and laughed while the brunette bit her lip.

"Vex..." The doctor pleaded.

"Okay." Her bestfriend relented. "But I have to eat extra slices of all the pies you baked, understood?"

Lauren let out a breath. "Okay. I'll get the pies."

"Lo, I'll come with you to get the plates and the knife." Ciara stood up.

When the two blondes was out of the dining area, Vex turned to Bo. He said, "You are lucky I like you Officer Dennis."

Bo shrugged and smiled widely.

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 **Author's Note: Please read and review. Thank you.**


	10. Chapter 10 - Fall 2006

**Author's Note: Thank you for all the reviews, may it be a positive or a negative one. I know my story was kinda slow in updates. One guest reviewer said it has a lot of fillers. Hmmm, maybe yeah. I don't know. I'm a first time writer so please bear with me. I'm actually writing a fluffy story about Bo and Lauren. Of course you may find some chapters with more serious tones because of the cases that Bo will undertake as a police officer. I will make sure that the cases that I will write into the story will be engaging as well as entertaining.  
**

 **Disclaimer:** **I don't own Lost Girl and the characters. I just used them for my story.**

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 **Chapter Ten**

 **4** **th** **Floor Patient Rooms**

 **Yale New Haven Hospital**

Miranda Hamilton walked through the halls of the hospital floor, specifically the 4th floor where patients were confined. She just came from the office of the head nurse and pleaded her case for not reporting to work without permission. Good thing she was just given a reprimand but the head nurse warned her that not so good things will happen if she'll do it again. She let out a huge sigh of relief. A moment of calm enveloped her but when she reached Room 409, a sense of trepidation lurked in the corner of her mind. She should never allowed herself to be involved with married doctors but it's too late now.

Now garbed with her uniform, a patient chart in her left hand and a stethoscope around her neck she knocked twice and opened the door. She was met with two pairs of eyes and a sleeping patient. _Thank God she was still sleeping._

She smiled at them and asked, "You are Dr. Woods' parents?"

The older woman nodded. "We are. And you are?"

"Oh I'm sorry ma'am, I didn't introduce myself first. I am Nurse Miranda Hamilton. I will be her nurse for this shift. I'll be checking on her every hour so this would be my first visit for tonight." She smiled.

"Thank you Nurse Hamilton." She looked at her husband. "Thomas, are you hungry?" The older man nodded. "Well okay, since the nurse is here maybe we could go down and buy our food." She turned to the nurse and asked, "Is it okay nurse to leave you with Nadia? We'll just go down to the cafeteria. We haven't eaten our dinner yet."

"Sure ma'am. I'll be here when you return."

"Thank you Nurse Hamilton." She tugged her husband's sleeve. "Let's go Thomas. You can sleep after we eat dinner." They passed by the nurse. The older man smiled at Miranda and the couple went out of the door.

 _Finally I'm alone with her._ She walked over to Nadia's head and checked the machines surrounding the patient. When she was satisfied, she looked intently at the patient's face and sighed. It would be a long night.

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 **Westville New Haven**

When the two doctors reached the kitchen, Ciara turned around and confronted Lauren. "So what happened here earlier, hmmm? You and Bo were in here for more than an hour."

Lauren sighed. "If I tell you, are you going to stop pestering me?"

Ciara was caught off guard by her friend's sudden willingness to share. "Well yeah of course."

"We just talked Ci."

"Really?"

"Really. Bo was a great listener." She then realized something and frowned. "Oh, well she's a police officer and it's just normal for her to listen to every person she encountered." She looked down.

"Lauren..." _How can I convince her that it's not like that and Bo was really into her?_ "Did it feel like she's interrogating you?"

The younger blonde shook her head. "No. It was like she's very interested with what I was saying."

"If you felt that then that's what happened. And not all police officers were good listeners Lauren. That's why some of them became patrol officers because some of them didn't have the skills to interrogate a suspect or a victim. I think Bo was a great listener not just because she's a police officer but because it's one of her innate qualities. So think about that okay?"

Lauren nodded.

"And besides, when she and Hale arrived, she immediately asked your whereabouts."

"Oh."

"So consider that okay? Let her in Lauren."

"I already did that Ciara. I just didn't want to burden myself with wrong assumptions and high expectations this time."

"Well you just met her again yesterday. After a year of frustrating search, there she was in our dining area, goofing around with Vex and Hale. So just enjoy it, go with the flow. For now, be thankful that we have two new friends."

"Okay, I will. Thank you Ci."

"You're welcome. Now let's get the pies and I really wanted to sink my teeth on them." She raised her eyebrow when she saw that a slice of pumpkin pie was already gone. "Who ate this slice here?"

Lauren blushed. "I gave Bo a slice to eat while I was busy making the pasta noodles earlier. And she loved it."

"Oh my God, Vex will blow a gasket if he knew you already gave Bo a slice of pumpkin pie."

"He's just being bratty but it's okay, it was worth it." She grinned. "Let's warm up the apple and blueberry pies. The pumpkin pie can be served cold."

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 **Room 409**

 **Yale New Haven Hospital**

Miranda Hamilton have always been a purveyor of secrets to the highest bidder but not of her own body. She gave her body to others with her own free will just to satisfy her biological urges. But now it was not just for urges or whatnot, she fell in love hard. She was aware that she had a reputation spreading among the doctors of this prestigious institution. Initially, she didn't care at all. She knew at first she was just playing with fire but now she couldn't do that anymore. She knew she will eventually succumb to the feelings they said will be awaken when you slept with someone more than once. That's why she preferred one night stands in the past. There were no feelings involved.

But now all she could think of was her feelings. Her feelings for this pretty young doctor that was currently lying in a hospital bed, badly injured. She felt responsible for what happened to her. It was because she was a part of it, all of it. She should have known that he was bad news but it was too late.

If she could only turn back the time, she would. She would do anything in her power so that the woman she loved could be happy and well, even though she knew she won't be the cause of her happiness. All she can do for now was to stay vigil and wait for her parents to come back. And then once she awaken, she will talk to her and tell her everything even if it will mean that the woman will hate her and curse her to high heavens. Love didn't have to do anything with it. Guilt was already a strong motivating factor.

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 **Westville New Haven**

"I want coffee with these pies. Who wants a cup?" Vex raised his hand.

Hale and Ciara raised their hands. Vex raised his eyebrow when both Bo and Lauren didn't. "What's with the two of you?" _I just want to make them sweat._

Ciara shook her head. "I'll fix the coffee."

Lauren was confused. "What are you talking about?"

Vex pointed his finger to Bo and Lauren. "There's something going on between the two of you."

Bo laughed. "You're getting paranoid Vex. Lauren and I were just sitting here."

"Earlier, you were whispering to each other. Now you were both refusing coffee. What's next?" He winked at Bo.

"Nothing." _What's with Vex?_ "Ask Lauren why she didn't want coffee."

"One of the effects of caffeine in coffee is insomnia." Lauren started. "I refused your offer of coffee because I wanted to sleep soundly tonight."

Vex turned to Bo. "I have the same reason." Bo shrugged. "And... I really liked my coffee at morning." Vex nodded.

"Exactly." Lauren added.

Vex shook his head but he couldn't wipe the smile from his face. "Alright twinnies, I got it." He turned to Hale. "Bo mentioned to Lauren that you wanted us to sign our statements last night..."

"Oh yeah, I'm sorry I forgot. Let me get them from the truck." Hale stood up and walked towards the kitchen.

"Hale..." Lauren stopped him. "You can exit from the side door. Your walk will be shorter."

He smiled at her. "Thanks Doc."

Vex saw Hale exited the side door. "So Bo, where do you live here?"

"In downtown, specifically in College St."

"Really? I frequented a bar there in my university days. Nowadays, I went there just to visit my friend and drink some shots."

"Who was your friend? The pub that I know in College St. was the only pub along that street."

"Huh, I didn't know that. My friend is the owner of the bar named The Dal Riata."

"The owner of The Dal Riata is your friend?"

"Yes. I've known him since 1998. Emily, one of our friends, and I discovered that bar when we were walking along College St. I remembered it was a weekend, Saturday I think, when we stumbled on the corner of College and Crown streets. We didn't know what to do that day when suddenly there in front us was a bar named The Dal Riata. The owner, who was the bartender that time, was not keen on having us inside because he didn't believe that we were already 21 years old. So he asked for our ID cards, scrutinized it very thoroughly. That's the time he believed we were of legal age to drink. So after that, he was kind to us. He said he wanted to be around the young ones because he missed the good old days of his youth. He's a wise old man. He told us tales of his native Ireland. From that time on, we frequented that bar and he served us our drinks. We talked about everything. He was fun to be with, until now." Vex smiled widely and looked at Bo. "Did you know the place?"

"Yes of course. I know the owner."

"Fitzpatrick McCorrigan is also your friend?"

"No. He's my grandfather."

Vex was shocked. "Your grandfather? But how...?"

Bo laughed. "He's my mother's father. My house was standing side by side with the pub."

"But... but... he mentioned a granddaughter named Ysabeau..." He frowned. "Oh shit... but I thought..." Epiphany dawned on him. "Of course, since his last name is McCorrigan I thought his granddaughter is also a McCorrigan." He pounded his closed fist on the table. The cups and spoons clattered. "I didn't make the connection early on."

"That's okay. So you're my grandfather's friend huh?"

"Oh yeah." He turned to Lauren. "Lo, did you remember the time I dragged you to a bar in College St.? I told you that I liked you to meet a friend."

Lauren nodded. "Yeah it was spring of 1999. I remembered that vividly because I was trying to finish my thesis and you insisted that I had to go with you. I told you that I wouldn't be allowed to go in because I was only 19 years old that time. But you used your sad puppy dog eyes at me so I said yes. Unfortunately, Mr. McCorrigan was not around that time." She turned to Bo. "Someone told us that your grandfather went to Ireland to visit your grandmother."

"Oh yeah, my grandmother's grave specifically. She died when I was 12 years old. Ever since then, Pops would go to Dublin twice a year – on her death anniversary and on her birthday."

"Talking about being a devoted husband." Vex was amazed. He looked at Ciara. "What about Dyson? Do you think he'll be a devoted husband to you?"

Ciara frowned. "What are you talking about Vex? We haven't talked about marriage yet."

"Wow Doc, you're getting married?" Hale smiled.

Ciara laughed. "Not yet. We are still in the stage of deciding whether living together would be a great idea or not."

"So he's coming here in New Haven?" Hale asked.

"Yes. He already talked to his parents and Lauren's parents and they let him go. He's just tying some loose ends then that's it."

"So where is he coming from?"

"We're from California, man." Vex winked at Hale.

Hale stared at Vex. "Really? You and the two Docs?"

"Not me Hale. I'm from Miami, Florida." Ciara stated.

"Talking about making waves." Hale laughed. "So Vex, where in California?"

"Dyson, Ryan and I were originally from Los Angeles while Lauren was from Torrance. The Thornwoods, Lamberts and Tates knew each other way back. And since the Thornwoods and Lewises were related by marriage, we also took in the Lewises. I loved Los Angeles."

"And I loved Torrance." Lauren interjected.

"But the parents moved us all to the more subdued and boring Palos Verdes Estates, where you lived in the mountains and you can't touch the sea."

Lauren laughed. "As if you didn't escape the mountains and go to the sea just to swim and surf every weekends."

"Oh yeah, I did that. Because if not, I would have died." Lauren, Bo and Hale laughed.

"Always the drama king." Ciara snorted.

"But hey, when I got the itch we would call each other and then off we go to the beach."

"You all swim?" Bo asked.

"No, just me and Lauren. Ryan surfed then later on just pseudo-surfed while Dyson ran along the shore."

Hale frowned. "What's pseudo-surf?"

"Well he got his own surfboard, his wetsuit, a surf leash and other things he needed to surf but when he got lazy, he would just stop. He would come to shore, sit and just watch us do our thing or he would go back to his car and sleep."

"Okay, I got it." Hale laughed. He turned to Ciara. "What about you Doc?"

"Oh I can swim. I think it's inevitable if you live near the sea."

"Uh actually I've been here in New Haven all my life but I can't swim."

"What, really?"

"Uhuh I actually regret that I didn't learn how to swim sooner. Right partner?" Hale looked at his partner.

"Oh yeah." Bo answered absentmindedly.

Vex looked at Bo and realized something. "You also can't swim, can you?"

"Nope."

"Really, why?"

"I didn't have the time to learn." Bo told Vex. Hale cleared his throat. Vex looked at him and frowned.

"Yes we didn't have the time." Hale quipped.

"Hmpf. I don't think that's the true reason." Vex frowned. "But I will know the truth someday. Lauren and I can teach you how to swim officers."

Lauren leaned towards Bo and whispered, "You really didn't have the time?"

"Yeah, that's the truth. I swear." Bo countered. "But the other truth was I didn't like to wear swimsuits."

"Really? But Bo, there are other swim wears out there. You don't need to wear a swimsuit if you don't like it. I also didn't wear swimsuits. Here, let's take a look." She pulled out her phone from her pocket and started to search her folders for the pictures she wanted to show the brunette.

"Hey, you're whispering to each other again. Care to share?" Vex asked.

The two women ignored him and looked at Lauren's phone. Ciara sneered at Vex. The blonde opened the correct folder and show Bo the pictures of wetsuits. "See? There are other options."

"I didn't know. Thank you Lauren."

"Now you know." The doctor smiled. "So Hale, Bo when can we start the lessons?" Lauren turned to Vex. "My question is, where are we going to teach them?"

Vex thought for a second. "I'll have someone construct a swimming pool in our backyard."

Lauren rolled her eyes. "Be serious Vaughn."

"I can call some of my teammates in Yale. But when can we start?"

Bo shrugged. "After this case?"

Hale agreed. "I'm game."

"It seems you were both affected by your inability to swim." Ciara observed. "Why?"

Hale looked at Bo. "I needed to share this story. Agree partner?"

"Go, tell them."

Hale sighed. "As you all know, Bo and I were assigned at the District 9 East Shore. One night, we were chasing a suspect. It was all good you know because he was driving a car. He was fast but my partner was a faster driver. So we caught up. When he realized that we were catching up, he stopped his car and ran. He ran until we were near the sea. Bo and I were already cursing because we both can't swim. If the suspect did a plunge, we couldn't follow him. The suspect ran to a cliff somewhere in Lighthouse Rd. He was in a place of no return. Little he did know that Bo and I were nervous because if he jumped off the cliff, we can't follow him. So since Bo had the gift of gab, she talked to the suspect. What did you say to him partner?"

"I told him that if he jump off the cliff, it's either he will succumb to his death because of broken bones or if he's lucky, he will enter the water but since he can't swim, he will drown and die of asphyxiation. Then he said, I'm wrong because he can swim. And he jumped. So I jumped."

Lauren, Vex and Ciara were shocked. "You jumped?" Lauren asked in a small voice.

"Yeah I did. When I jumped, I caught his arm while half of my body hung at the edge of the cliff. I planted my toe in the sand but the suspect was a big man and his weight was pulling me. Hale caught my ankles but there's no way we can maintain that position unless our backup arrives. Unfortunately, the backup arrived 10 minutes later. I let the suspect go because my shoulders and arms were already hurting. He went straight into the water and swam." Bo laughed. "Good thing he was a slow swimmer. The NHPD Dive Team caught him swimming like a dog 20 meters from the shore. But because of that, it was a mark in our records. Writing the report for that incident was very hard."

"So wait, if you can swim that time you will also jump into the water?"

"Well of course. That's my job." Bo smiled. "Or I have pushed Hale instead."

"Haha that's funny. No, seriously guys we are trained police officers so jumping off cliffs was a piece of cake. It's like jumping for the ball in a rebound."

"But you just didn't want to do it."

"Because you're already there willing to jump every time. I didn't want to steal your thunder."

"Looked like you two were enjoying your time as police officers." Vex commented.

"Oh not always. There were many boring days and nights spent just walking on the streets of New Haven." Bo answered. "The few times that I truly enjoyed the job were the times when I jumped cliffs, chased and caught the suspects and corresponded to a 911 call." She looked at Lauren and winked.

Lauren's cheeks flushed slightly. Vex, Ciara and Hale laughed. "Hale, may I have the statement that I need to read and sign please?" Lauren asked. "Oh me too." Vex said.

The two were busy reading their statements while the other three were enjoying the pies.

"I never asked what type of apple pie you baked but this one was awesome." Bo continued eating while talking.

"It's a cinnamon crumble apple pie Bo." Lauren looked up from what she was reading.

"Me, I love the blueberry pie." Hale said. "It's not too sweet."

Ciara raised her hand. "I helped in baking that one. It's Dyson's favorite that's why I was adamant to know how to do it."

"Doc Lauren, my favorite pie is custard pie. Don't you forget it." Hale winked.

"Then you should taste my pumpkin custard pie. Tell me if you liked it."

Hale took a bite and smiled. "It was definitely a custard pie but it was different because of the pumpkin and I tasted new things."

"Those were ginger, cinnamon and allspice." Bo mumbled while feasting on the blueberry pie.

"And how did you know that partner?"

"Of course, the baker told me. Lauren, can I have a second slice of the pumpkin pie?" Bo asked while finishing up the blueberry pie.

Vex looked at Bo and sneered. "You know I didn't realize that you can eat like that Officer Dennis."

"And what exactly did you mean Vex?"

"You ate like a 15-year old hormonal teenage boy."

Bo shrugged. "You saw me eat last night. You seemed so shocked."

"Last night seemed ages ago. And you were quite shy last night but now, it was the total opposite."

"Oh I just didn't want to pretend that I'm a lady when it came to my appetite."

"Don't worry Bo. Vex was just envious that you could eat like that." Ciara grinned.

"And the fact that he ate like that when he was 15 years old." Lauren laughed. "But now he couldn't."

"Why?"

"Because I've spent the last 4 years of my life being a couch potato. I rarely had the time to exercise." Vex lamented.

"Man, you have to start from something. Do you run?" Hale asked.

"Oh no, running was not for me. That's Dyson's thing, running. He and Lauren's bonding time when we were kids was running up and down the hills of Palos Verdes Estates. Ours were swimming and cycling."

"What about Ryan?"

"Ryan and I had no bonding activity. Well he promised to teach me how to surf but you all know that he started from surfing to pseudo-surfing."

"Oh you have a bonding activity with him. You bonded when you lectured him about drinking before his races and him being a Casanova." Vex laughed.

"Hardly a bonding activity. He just stared at me every time so I stopped." Lauren signed the statement. "I'm finished."

"Thank you Doc."

Vex also signed his statement and gave it to Hale. "So..." He looked around the table. "On a serious note, I really like this group dynamics that we had, discussing about the case and all. I really hoped that this case will end sooner."

"Hale and I hoped so too. But with all the unanswered questions and unknown details, I think it will be later than sooner."

"Well I was just hoping for the best but I was really expecting for the worst."

"At first glance, I thought this case would just be a simple 911 call. But now if you will look into it, it was a tangled web."

"So this is new to the both of you?" Ciara asked.

Hale nodded. "Yeah it was. Our biggest case to date. Bo and I were just second year police officers."

"Well our sergeant thought that we knew what we were doing so he gave it to us." Bo added.

"Then I'll hope that you answer all the questions and know all the details sooner. After that, maybe we could talk about things other than Nadia, Percy or that slimy Adam." Vex said.

"I agree."

"I also hope to meet Kenzi and Tamsin very soon."

Bo nodded. "If you want, you can meet them tomorrow."

"You're inviting me?"

"What? Yes of course. But not only you. I'm also inviting Lauren and Ciara. Tomorrow was actually Pops' birthday. It was actually a surprise so it would be special if the three of you can come. The party will be in the afternoon so you will all have the time to sleep and rest well."

"It will be his actual birthday tomorrow?"

"Yeah."

"Oh wait. What time is it?" Vex looked at his watch. "Don't worry about the birthday cake, Lauren and I will bake it. I knew he liked chocolate, right?"

"Vex, you and Lauren shouldn't bother. I am inviting the three of you as guests."

"It's okay Bo. It will be just a simple chocolate cake. Nothing fancy." Lauren assured the brunette with a dazzling smile. "Hale, will you be going too?"

"Of course Doc."

"Then I will look forward seeing you tomorrow Officer Santiago."

They all stood up and Lauren started to gather the dishes, cups and utensils when Ciara interjected. "Lo wait, you already cooked so you didn't need to do that."

"But..."

"No buts. The boys will gather them and then I'll do the washing and putting them into the dishwasher. Get Bo and go to the living room or somewhere. Vex and Hale... please." Ciara raised her eyebrow.

"Yes ma'am." Vex saluted her mockingly.

Bo and Lauren were left in the dining area.

"Uh let's see..." Lauren was thinking what to do next, her index finger tapping her dimpled chin.

Bo thought the doctor was adorable when she did that.

Then like a lighted bulb popped above her head, her eyes lighted up and smiled. "Aha. Bo, come with me please."

"Uh Lauren, where are we going?"

"Let's go." The doctor reached for the police officer's wrist and pulled her. "There at our back lawn. We will exit via the side door." She let Bo's wrist go and walked towards the door. The other woman followed her. When they got outside, a cool breeze welcomed them and they both shivered.

"Wow that was cold!" Bo exclaimed.

"Yeah it was. Let's walk so we could chase out the coldness of the air. And then maybe you can unfold your sleeves."

"Good idea." The brunette smiled.

When they got to the back lawn area, Lauren turned to Bo and said, "Tell me about the complication."

"Complication?" Bo thought for a while and then realized what Lauren was pertaining to. "Now? Here, in your back lawn area?"

"Yes why not? Although it was just full of plain grass right now. Not pretty to look at. I was thinking about hiring a landscaper to do the front and back lawn areas."

Bo walked towards the doctor and said, "You know I can recommend someone but I need to warn you that she's still new with landscaping. She's more experienced on the interior design side of her skills but I can guarantee you that she's good."

"I'll trust your judgment. Who was the landscaper?"

"Tamsin, one of my bestfriends and housemates. She did the interior design of my room, hers and my grandfather. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in interior design and pre-architecture from University of New Haven so that's something right? Then she got her certificate in landscaping from an online course in New York Institute."

"That's more than something. So I'll meet and talk to her tomorrow?"

"Yes, I'll introduce you to her."

"Okay, that's fine with me. Thank you Bo." Lauren smiled. "So spill."

Bo sighed. "I wish I have a cigarette with me."

Lauren raised her eyebrow. "You smoke?"

The brunette laughed. "Fortunately, no. It would be just a prop you know. I won't smoke it. I'll put it between my fingers then we'll stand here talking, just like my fellow police officers when they had their cigarette breaks in the station."

The blonde shook her head and laughed. "You know, I saw the same scenario in the hospital's smoking areas. Doctors were just as bad as the regular smokers." She thought for a while. "If you can't have a cigarette, could a bottle of beer replace it? I thought you need some distraction while you talk and not just stand here and stare at our back lawn full of grass."

Bo smiled and was thankful for the doctor's thoughtfulness. "Sure, why not?"

"Okay, please wait here." She turned around and entered the house by the back door.

After a while, the doctor returned with two bottles of White Birch Raspberry Berliner Weisse.

"Wow! You have this all along and I settled for a Coke?"

"Oh I didn't know. I just saw them when I opened the refrigerator. I was just looking for a regular beer but I thought this was better. Was it?"

"I can tell you that this was way better than Coke. I already had one of these and I could tell that you would like it since it would taste a little like wine. It's fruity of course, but it's still a beer so it would have some bitter aftertaste. It's sour and fruity and best time to drink this was on summer but what the hell right?" Bo pull out her key ring and opened the two bottles passing one to Lauren.

Lauren drank from the bottle and nodded. "Yeah I didn't expect this taste from a beer but it was delicious." She cleared her throat. "So enough stalling. What did you want to tell me earlier?"

Bo let out a breath and said, "Kenzi was in a relationship right now. She was dating one of my grandfather's employees. He was a bartender but was studying in the university at the same time. It was new, just a month or so."

"Oh."

"Yeah, Hale didn't know. Well I just found out last night. So this morning when I saw him, I really wanted to tell him but it was not my place to do that. I thought that it would be unfair to Kenzi. But Hale's also my friend and my partner."

"So you were struggling about that."

Bo nodded. "I want Kenzi to be happy. But I want her to be with Hale. But I know I can't dictate and control Kenzi's feelings because I'm not a control freak."

"It was funny that you used that term just now. Are you a control freak?" Lauren teased.

"I know I'm not but Tamsin and Kenzi said that I am a little bit. I was really trying not to be."

"You know Bo it's not really bad to be a little bit of control freak. There were some things in life that you need to control in order for them not to blow in your face when it became uncontrollable. That would be chaos. You know, I met a lot of control freaks in my life and you did not measure up to them even just a little bit." Lauren smiled. "So don't worry about that."

"Thank you Lauren. What you said put my mind at ease." Bo smiled.

The blonde smiled back. "So you don't like Kenzi's boyfriend?"

"Well it's not that I don't like him, I just don't know him like I know Hale. I know that it's a shitty reason but it is what it is. On the other hand, Tamsin likes him for Kenzi because she worked with him for two years, just like me with Hale. So that's fair right?"

"It is and you know it. Does Tamsin know Hale?"

"Yes, they met a few times. They were friendly. You know Hale, he's too friendly for his own good."

"Are you friendly with Kenzi's boyfriend? What's his name?"

"His name is Nate and I've also met him a few times. We were friendly, as Tamsin and Hale."

"Fair enough. Then let's look at it this way. Does Nate spend a little more time with Kenzi than Hale does?"

"Yes, Nate had that advantage right from the start. The year when Kenzi worked at the bar, that was the time Nate was also hired. So they spent that year together working and of course, knowing each other better. While on the other hand, Hale was with me at the police academy. Now, although Kenzi already stopped working at the bar, they saw each other almost every day because they were going to the same school."

"That's two advantages that Hale didn't have. Another thing, did Hale already tell Kenzi about what he felt for her?"

"No, I don't think so."

"Then that's it. Nate had all the advantages. So now you know why Kenzi was in a relationship with Nate and not with Hale."

Bo laughed. "Yeah thank you Dr. Freud."

Lauren shrugged and smiled. She then focused her eyes on the trees around them.

The brunette followed the blonde's eyes, leaned closer and asked, "What were you looking at?"

The doctor was quite distracted when she turned to Bo. "Well I was just looking at the trees."

"What's with the trees?"

"I was wondering how autumn would be like this year. It was just the beginning but that tree..." She pointed a tree in the backyard. "...its leaves were already turning yellow." Her voice had a tone of wonder.

Bo was a bit confused. "So?"

"Well in autumn when the leaves were starting to change their colors, they will be changed from green to yellow, then orange to red then finally to brown. After that, the leaves will be starting to fall off the trees. That was why autumn was also called the fall. I just wondered why I didn't remember the leaves started changing their colors. My favorite phase was when the leaves changed from yellow to red."

"Uh well right there. That tree still had green leaves. But some of them were already yellow."

"Oh where?" Bo pointed out the tree. "Yeah. That was an elm tree. Those trees were abundant here in New Haven."

"That's why this city was called the Elm City, right?"

"Right." Lauren nodded.

Bo observed that the doctor had a wistful look on her face. "You missed home during autumn?"

"Yeah. California has one of the most magical autumnal displays in the whole country, next to Vermont and New Hampshire. That's why autumn is one of my favorite seasons."

"What would be the other one?"

"Spring. It was when the trees started to grow new leaves. For me spring and autumn were like alpha and omega, the beginning and the end. What about yours?"

"Summer. At the summer solstice, the days were longest and the nights were shortest. And also because of summer breaks. Summers meant that I could come here in New Haven and visit my grandparents."

"Me too. When we already moved to Palos Verdes Estates I missed my grandparents, my father's parents specifically. We used to live beside their house. So when we moved out, I made sure that I'll be there every summer. Those were the times when I learned how to bake."

"So Grandma Lewis taught you how to bake."

"Yes. Her name was Margaret, while my grandfather's Terrence. My grandma was a pastry chef while grandpa was a retired science teacher."

"I guess he was your influence when you thought of becoming a doctor?"

"Yes he was a big influence. While my grandmother taught me how to bake, my grandpa and I did many chemistry experiments. He also encouraged me to read and love books."

Bo smiled and nodded. "My pops was also like that to me. When I came for vacation, he would find time to sit down with me and tell me about history. He was a fan of history, may it be the world history or of our native Ireland."

"What was Mr. McCorrigan's profession?"

"He was a retired business/corporate lawyer."

"And your grandmother?"

"Her name is Isabeau, like my name. The only difference was hers started with an I, while mine with a Y. She was an artist. Her paintings were very good. She actually gave me one of her paintings before she died."

"I'm sorry Bo. You were 12 when she died right?"

"It's okay Lauren. Yes I was 12 then. She was very sweet to me. She never got angry with me. I think grandparents were all like that. They tend to spoil their grandchildren."

Lauren laughed. "I know right." Her eyes were dancing with mirth. "That's why I really wanted to come over to Torrance on weekends. They were fun to be with."

"I agree." With that statement, she couldn't help but stare at the doctor. Lauren was smiling widely and looking at the trees. _Really, what's with the trees?_ She went back to the time when she first met the blonde. She was then mesmerized by the sheer beauty of this creature – her eyes, her face, her hair. She was perfection. Physically, she was already attracted to the doctor but now when they talked and knew some things about each other she couldn't help but admire her more and more each day. The connection she felt a year ago was still there. It didn't fade away; in the contrary, it felt stronger. The attraction was palpable, she can feel it in her bones. And most especially, she can feel it in her heart. _I am falling in love and looks like there's no turning back._ She sighed.

Still looking at the trees, Lauren spoke up. "Did you remember when we first met Bo?"

"Of course. Why?"

"It was also autumn then."

"Really? I thought it was still summer."

"Yeah. I remembered because the leaves of the trees along the Peat Meadow Road were already turning to yellow. That's where you were running after your suspect then he bumped into me." She frowned. "That's why I was wondering earlier why the leaves were already turning into orange. It was just the middle of September. When we first met, it was also September but much earlier."

Bo couldn't help herself but laugh. "You're cute. Maybe it's happening because of global warming."

The doctor thought for a while and said, "Then it should have been more gradual, the changes of the color."

"Why was this very important to you?"

"Because I didn't want to miss anything Bo." Lauren looked intently at Bo's eyes. I wanted to be on it every step of the way. I wanted to see with my own eyes how the events will unfold. I wanted to experience it all."

Bo felt every word of what Lauren said and the feeling was intense. Her heart beat so fast. She couldn't help but think if the doctor was still referring to the changing of leaves or to other things.

They were still looking into each other's eyes when they heard someone cleared his throat.

"Uhm Doc, Bo we were already finished tidying up everything. Vex would like to know if you want to come in." Hale was somewhat embarrassed because he saw how intense the two ladies were looking at each other.

Bo was first to break her stare and looked at Hale. She smiled and said, "Sure we'll be right there. Lauren?"

"What? Oh. There you are Hale." She smiled. "We'll go inside once we emptied our bottles..." She saw her empty bottle and Bo's. "...and they were empty." She laughed. She looked at Bo and winked. "Let's go." She started walking towards the back door.

Hale waited for the doctor to lead them into the house. When he knew the doctor was out of earshot, he leaned to his partner and whispered, "What were you and the good doctor doing out here?"

"We were talking about autumn and how the leaves of the trees changed their colors from green to yellow, then orange to red then finally to brown until they fell off the tree." Bo echoed Lauren's explanation about the leaves and tapped Hale lightly at the shoulders.

Hale was left outside and frowned. "Damn."

 **LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG**

 **Room 409 Yale Hospital**

She looked into her husband's eyes and saw them turned from brown to red. She felt her whole body tensed when the first touch of the whip hit her skin. It was painful and hot. The whipping was repeated so many times. She closed her eyes and tried to clear her mind but she couldn't do it because she was in pain. She slowly opened and her eyes and saw a lot of blood surrounding her. She was looking everywhere but her husband was nowhere in sight. She cried for help. She cried and cried until she was hoarse. She felt two hands holding her arms and shaking her. She tried breaking free but couldn't. So she let go until she woke up with a start.

"Nadia... Nadia... it's me Miranda." The nurse was holding the patient's arms and shaking her. She stopped when she felt Nadia was starting to wake up. The patient woke up, wide eyed.

"It's only Miranda Nadia. You were safe. You're here in the hospital."

Nadia tried focusing. She looked into the nurse's eyes and called out. "Miranda, is that you?"

"Yes it's me. Nightmare?"

Nadia just nodded.

"Do you want water or anything?"

"Water please."

The nurse went to the small refrigerator and took out a bottled water. She opened it and offered it to the patient. "Here."

"Thank you." She drank half of the bottle. "Where are my parents?"

"They left to go to the cafeteria. Your mother told me they haven't eaten dinner so I told them to take their time because I'm here."

Nadia just nodded.

"Are you okay?" The nurse mentally kicked herself when she realized what she had asked. "Well of course not. I'm so sorry Nadia. Of course, you're not okay." She sighed. _Can I do it now? She seemed so vulnerable. Maybe she would break if I told her the whole truth._

"It's okay Miranda."

"Can I get you anything else?"

"No. Just stay here for now." She smiled.

"Okay. No problem, I'll be here." The nurse went to the patient's bed and asked, "Did you want to lie down or sit up?"

"I want to sit up."

"Okay, let me help you." She adjusted the bed by pushing some buttons at the left side. She also adjusted the pillows. "Is this okay?"

"Yes, thank you Miranda."

"No problem," mumbled the nurse.

Nadia adjusted herself on the bed and looked at the woman before her. This woman is her lover but she didn't know if she loved her or not. Well, she liked her because she was damn good in bed and was affectionate. "Where have you been these last few days?"

"I went home."

"To New York?"

"Yeah, my family needed me so I came home."

"Okay."

"Nadia, I have something to tell you. I didn't know if this was the right time to tell you this but if I didn't tell you now..." _It's now or never._

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 **Author's Note: Please read and review. Thank you.**


	11. Chapter 11 - Fall 2006

**Author's Note: And I'm back! So sorry about the one month plus few days hiatus. I enjoyed the holidays, I got sick and workload got heavy. In other words, real life happened. And since I was away for while, I will give two chapters in succession to say Thank You for waiting. I hope you enjoy them.**

 **Disclaimer: The characters of Lost Girl are still not mine. I just write them as I like.**

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 **Chapter Eleven**

 **Westville New Haven**

It is already late in the evening when five people come out of the house in Marvel Road. The laughter that emanates from the group warms the cool calmness of the night.

"Well Vex, I've been dealing with you for the last 11 years but it looks like I've been dealing with you my whole life. You're incorrigible." Ciara shakes her head as she glares at Vex.

"It is just 7 years but that's okay I understand. Many people can't handle my awesomeness. But don't worry, since you and Dyson are going to be married soon you'll have the time to figure me out." Vex smiles contemptuously.

Ciara rolls her eyes.

"You two are funny." Hale laughs.

"It's just the tip of the iceberg Hale. You haven't seen anything yet. Our chemistry..." Vex puts his arm around Ciara's shoulder. "...is like the 4th of July."

Ciara hits Vex's arms and laughs.

Bo laughs at Vex's antics. She looks at the woman beside her. She expects a smile or a smirk but Lauren's face says otherwise. It looks like she had seen a ghost. Bo leans towards the blonde and whispers, "Lauren, are you alright?"

Lauren looks at Bo and nods. "I'm okay."

"No, you're not okay. Obviously something is bothering you. Tell me."

She looks at Bo's determined face and says, "Okay, but not here. Let's walk towards the truck and let's pretend that we are looking at the leaves of that tree."

"Okay. Lead the way Doctor."

Lauren walks towards the front end of the lawn and Bo follows.

Vex is startled when he sees that the two women are walking away. "Look at them. While we are chatting and laughing here, they are going to isolate themselves again. Hale, you went to the back lawn earlier. Did you ask them what they were talking about?" Vex asks.

"Bo told me that they were looking at the leaves of the trees. And since it's autumn now, they were talking about leaves turning from green to yellow, then orange to red and finally to brown."

Ciara nods. "Lauren is really fond of autumn. So that's quite true. But they were there for a long time."

"I know. But I don't think they will tell us whatever they talked about."

"Damn! They are worse than you and Dyson." Vex looks at Ciara and shakes her head. The doctor just laughs at him.

"We're here. So are you going to tell me what's going on your mind or should I guess?" Bo puts her hands inside her pockets and turns her head to Lauren.

"Of course I will tell you."

"Okay." Bo patiently waits while Lauren gathers her thoughts. She looks at the tree in front of them. "This is a sugar maple tree right? Look at the leaves."

Lauren is momentarily removed from her thoughts and looks at the tree. The leaves hang low and she can see that some of leaves have already changed their colors. She reaches out and plucks a big leaf. "Look Bo, a perfectly colored leaf." She smiles. The leaf is yellow from the stem then orange and red is distributed evenly to the tip.

She looks at the leaf and sighs. "I just realized something about Vex and Ciara a while ago when he mentioned about chemistry." She twirls the stem of the leaf and continues. "Vex first met Ciara when I introduced them outside our residential college. Vex's college was just around the corner. I remembered I was excited to meet new people. He introduced me to Emily while I introduced him to Ciara. While I was socially awkward back then, I could tell that they had an instant connection, a spark. Emily agreed. Days went by and the four of us became closer. But since Ciara and I were on the same college, we often talked about our childhood. So I talked about Vex, Dyson and Ryan. She convinced me to show her a picture of the four of us." She pulls her cellphone from her pocket and opens the gallery. She scans the picture until she finds what she's looking for. "This was the picture that I showed to her."

Bo leans on the doctor's shoulder and looks at the picture. She sees a younger and slimmer bespectacled Lauren who was surrounded by three guys. The one that was on Lauren's right was Vex. He and Lauren were goofing around, looking at each other while Lauren was holding his left arm.

"Who's this? The one on your left?" The brunette asks.

"That's Ryan whose right hand was holding my left hand. Then the one who had his right arm around my shoulder was Dyson."

"Oh. So that's Dyson and Ryan." _So that's Ryan._ "How old were you in the picture?"

Lauren smiles. "I was only 14 when this picture was taken. Vex was 16, then Dyson and Ryan were both 17." She swipes her thumb over the picture and looks at the next one. "Here, the same everything except it was taken 10 years after."

Bo looks and zooms at Ryan's right hand. _Yeah he was still holding her hands. Of course, she said the same everything. Ass!_ Her jaw clenches. _Bo,_ she reminds herself, _you have no right to be jealous or to feel anything about Ryan and Lauren. Oh right, who am I kidding? I'm already jealous, just deal with it._ She then decided to focus on the less complicated part of the picture. She looks at Lauren and says, "You didn't have your glasses on."

"Yeah I already went through a laser eye surgery when that picture was taken. I had an astigmatism so I needed that surgery right away or else it would lead to amblyopia that will decrease my vision."

"What causes astigmatism?"

"It's a common vision condition that causes blurred vision. It occurs when the cornea is irregularly shaped. The specific cause is unknown. It can be hereditary and is usually present from birth. Mine increased because I read a lot so I need to wear those thick eyeglasses. Not all types of astigmatism can be treated by a laser surgery so I underwent a series of examinations just to know if the type of astigmatism that I had was treatable. Good thing mine was. So before I flew over here, I had the surgery." Lauren relates.

Bo nods. "So what if it can't be treated by laser surgery, what are the other options?"

"I may have to wear those thick eyeglasses again or I can request for contact lenses. Another option is a corneal procedure that was painless and noninvasive."

"Then it was a good thing when you already had that surgery. No need for those thick eyeglasses or the contact lenses."

"I agree." She closes her phone and puts it into her pocket. "That was the picture that I showed to Ciara. When she saw Dyson, she started to ask things about him. At first I didn't realize that she became interested in him and it looked like she was ignoring Vex. I thought they just had a fight. But when weeks became months and she became more interested in my cousin that was when I thought hard. She fell in love with Dyson while it seemed that she ditched Vex on the side."

"But did Vex and Ciara date during those times?"

"No. They were just good friends but very close. We were all focusing on our studies... well I thought so that time. And we were all too young. Well I was only 16 but the three of them were already 18 and Dyson was 19 that time..."

"But how did Ciara fall in love with your cousin? Did they see each other? How did they communicate?"

"Oh through calls, letters, emails, etc. And Dyson did come here several times to visit us. He said that he missed me." She frowns. "So maybe what he said was partially true but I realized that as time went by, he was coming here to visit Ciara because he was already pursuing her."

"So how was Vex at those times?"

"Oh he was hurt. But on the surface, he seemed cool. But Emily and I knew. Good thing he had Emily. Well I was also there for him but I was really young and I was really focused on school work. And besides I didn't know anything about dating stuff and I was naïve about the social nuances of seeing two people that were already into each other. Then Dyson and Ciara revealed that they were serious and entering into a relationship. I remembered that I was really happy for them but I was also sad for Vex. Those times were very confusing."

"I can imagine. Your two best friends loved the same woman. All the drama can be a burden to you even though you were outside looking in."

Lauren sighs. "You perfectly understood what I felt."

Bo nods and smiles at the doctor. "At least you survived."

"Well yeah. I focused on my studies. I told myself that I was here for that and not for anything else. After that, things went smoothly. But of course, I couldn't just ignore my friends and what they were going through as they didn't ignore me. In fact, the bullying incident coincided with it. But we strived hard and persevered. Look at Dyson and Ciara."

"How long was it, 9 years?"

"Yeah. But I could tell that they really went through a hard time, being away from each other. I couldn't help myself but to think sometimes that maybe it was better if it was Vex who became Ciara's boyfriend. He was here and obviously there was a spark between the two of them. But as they say, you can't choose who you love." Lauren shrugs.

"It was obvious that Ciara fell hard for Dyson and vice versa. Because they wouldn't last this long if they didn't love each other." Bo points out.

"I know that now."

"So why did I see what I saw earlier? Your face looked like you've seen a ghost."

Lauren sighs. "I just remembered the time when I introduced Ciara to Vex outside our college. I saw how they smiled at each other back then. Then earlier, I heard Vex talked about their chemistry and Ciara laughed without being sarcastic. They can't stand each other sometimes even though they were living in the same house."

"So you really saw a ghost, a ghost of past unrequited love."

"I did."

"Okay so, I have a question - did Vex tell Ciara about his feelings?"

"No he didn't but he told me he had plans but Dyson was already in the picture and he was already ignored so..."

"Were his feelings blatantly ignored?"

"No, it was subtle, I almost missed it." Lauren thinks for a while. "I think what Ciara refused to recognize was the idea of Vex being her significant other. But he was also completely and utterly ignored as a friend. That's why he was really hurt. And I don't think Ciara has an idea of his feelings until now."

"Oh Doctor, I disagree." Bo shakes her head and bites her lip.

"What? Why? How?"

"Lauren, I think Ciara knew right from the start." Bo points out gently. "She realized that Vex had feelings for her. She ignored it because if she acknowledged it with Dyson already in the picture, things would be more complicated. She would have been forced to admit that she also had feelings for him but her feelings for Dyson were stronger. Think about it. That's the reason why she completely ignored him. To cut him loose early on."

"What? No." Lauren knits her brows and shakes her head. "She should have talked to Vex. I think it would be just fine."

"You were still young back then. I don't think it would be just fine." Bo snorts. "Do you think Dyson knew about it?" The brunette asks the blonde. "Since you know him better than me, then consider this. If Dyson knew about Vex's feelings for Ciara, would he give way to his best friend or would he still pursue her?"

Lauren remains silent as she processes the arguments put forward by the woman beside her.

"So do you want to bet on this Doctor?" The brunette asks. "I think we already came to an impasse."

The blonde's eyes sparkle. "I'll take your bet Officer." She raises her eyebrow. "So what are we betting on? You presented numerous points of contention. Just to be clear."

"Okay. Do you now agree that Ciara knew Vex's feelings right from the start?"

"When I processed them all, I find your arguments valid on that point."

"Very well Doctor. But you don't agree on one thing and that is?"

"You said the reason why Ciara ignored Vex and his feelings completely was because acknowledging it will make things complicated so she cut him loose. Well I disagree." Lauren sighs. "I think the reason why she ignored him is simply because she didn't have real feelings for him."

Bo laughs. "Wow that's a complete 180 degree turnaround Lauren. You told me about the connection and spark they shared when they first met. And did you remember last night you said Ciara told you she liked Vex when you introduced them right?"

"I know but I'm still betting against it. Maybe I just misinterpreted it. Well she told me she liked him... maybe just as a friend? I don't know." She shrugs. "Because if there was really a connection between them, then why is she with Dyson until now?"

"Simple. She felt a stronger connection with Dyson. But it doesn't mean that what she felt for Vex wasn't real."

The doctor frowns.

"Are you sure you want to bet on that?" Bo stares at Lauren unblinking, challenging. "Are you sure you want to go against the good old chemistry thing between two people who feel a certain connection, a spark?" _Please say no. Please!_

Lauren sees the unspoken request from Bo's intense gaze and bits her lip. "Okay, I'm going to withdraw." Her voice falters. _Because if I continue betting against it, it's like I'm dismissing ours! I'm an ass!_

Bo blows a huge breath. _Thank God!_ "Wonderful. So what we are betting on?"

"Let's bet on the Dyson factor. For you, he has no idea or whatsoever about Vex and Ciara. And for me, it's the opposite. Now I have some misgivings about this whole Dyson factor."

"Of course. We have doubts about it so now the bet becomes more justifiable. And I am very curious."

"More justifiable?"

"Yes, to know the truth. I would have said that it becomes more exciting but that's being insensitive. We are talking about feelings here."

The doctor nods. "Right. But I need to ask... if you are correct, why is Ciara still keeping this secret from Dyson?"

"Fear. She's afraid that it will do a lot of damage in their relationship if she reveals it to him."

"You think so? I mean if Dyson will know, will he break up with her?"

"It can go either way Lauren. How will you describe him as a person?"

"Well he's always calm. I mean I haven't seen him angry or mad, unlike Vex. Vex is quite the opposite." Lauren thinks for a moment. "I'm suddenly afraid for the three of them. And I'm also feeling guilty." The doctor blows a breath.

"Why?"

"Because I wouldn't know these things if you haven't pointed them out to me. I'm one of their best friends. I should have known."

"Lauren, all the arguments that I've pointed out were based on what you have told me." Bo explained kindly. "I think you need me to figure these things out, like we're partners. It's one big puzzle. We wouldn't know the whole truth unless there would be a confrontation in the future."

"So why didn't I know these things? Why didn't they tell me?" Lauren looks hurt. Bo leans towards her and touches her shoulder in a comforting way.

"I think they were just protecting you from the truth. You didn't need the extra hassle. Please remember, you said all of these coincided with the bullying incident with Percy and Nadia correct? They knew you didn't need the extra burden."

Lauren nods, looks at the brunette and smiles. "You're right. Thank you Bo."

"No problem." Bo waves her hand. "Now my concern is, are we still going to bet on it?" Bo frowns.

The doctor laughs. "Of course. We are already deep into it. Might as well know the outcome right? We should do it. Where's your sense of adventure?"

"You're insane! Earlier, you're being emotional about it then now... I thought I already figured you out. Now I'm not quite sure..." Bo shakes her head.

"Isn't it exciting?" Lauren laughs.

"And crazy, may I add!" Bo smiles and asks, "So what is the wager? Let's see. No money involve of course." She smirks, dimples visible.

Lauren looks at her. "Tell me yours first."

Bo thinks for a while and asks, "Hmm let's see. Have you ridden on the back of a motorcycle before?"

The blonde shakes her head.

"Okay. So if I win the bet, you and I will go on a trip and you will be riding on the back of my motorcycle, while I drive of course."

"Just that?"

"Yeah, just that." The officer nods. "You're not afraid?"

"I'll cross the bridge when we get there." The doctor shrugs. Then suddenly, she gets excited. "Now, if I win the bet Officer, you and I will go to a cliff and we'll jump and dive into the water."

"Whoa! That's pretty intense... we'll jump from a cliff? Okay I can do that. But dive into the water? Swimming lessons first Doctor!" Bo blanches.

Lauren laughs out loud. "Don't worry Bo. It's not like we are going to do it very soon."

"But still... jumping off a cliff and diving into the water? I obviously don't expect that from you." The brunette raises her eyebrow.

"Just being myself, mysterious and all." The blonde grins. "Oh here..." She gave Bo the sugar maple leaf. "...to remind you of our bet." She winks at the brunette.

Bo hesitantly takes it from Lauren. "So this means the bet is really on?"

"Yes. Officially it's on." Lauren does the fist pump and Bo chuckles at the blonde's playfulness.

At the other side of the front lawn Vex, Hale and Ciara are looking at the couple laughing at each other.

"Awww look at them! They are very happy in their own world." Vex coos. "I haven't seen Lauren laugh like that in a long while."

"The same with Bo. My partner is one serious woman, I tell you both. She just smile and then nothing. It is very refreshing to hear her laugh." Hale says.

"They are just adorable. Bo is making Lauren loosen up. And vice versa. My only question is, how soon will they realize that they are perfect together and for each other?" Ciara wonders.

"I'm afraid I will be the devil's advocate here my friends." Vex hedges. "I think it will be later rather than sooner."

"How later are you talking about?" Hale asks.

"Well... not sure. Maybe towards the end of the year? Early next year?" Vex shrugs. "Let's give them a room to breathe. They just met again yesterday. I say let them enjoy each other as friends. There's nothing wrong with being friends first right?" He looks at Ciara. When the doctor avoids his eyes, he sighs. "It builds foundation... strong foundation to the relationship that they will have in the future."

"Right. Those are wise words Vex. But you said let's give them a room to breathe." The police officer stares at his friend. "But what about us, partner? Let's say two months from now?" Hale winks.

"That's enough time." Vex nods.

Ciara raises her eyebrow and obviously confused. "Enough time for what?"

"Vex, let me explain it to the good doctor." Hale turns to Ciara when he gets the affirmation he needs from Vex. "Vex and I will start a betting pool and we are thinking to start the 'odds on' two months from now."

Betting pool? Odds on?"

"Yes Doc. A betting pool in which the three of us..." Hale winks at Ciara. "...you heard it right, it includes you, will put a wager of $ 50.00 or $ 25.00 on the day we think Bo and Lauren will officially be a couple.""Okay. When you say 'officially be a couple', it includes 'exclusively dating'?

"That's fine with me." Hale looks at Vex. "And you?"

"I concur."

"So it's just the three of us? I can persuade Dyson to join." Ciara says.

"The more, the merrier Doc. What about Ryan?" Hale asks.

"Uh that one, I'm not sure if we can 'persuade' him." Vex frowns.

Hale raises his eyebrow.

"It's complicated partner. And it's not my story to tell so..." The businessman shrugs.

Hale holds his hands upright. "That's fine with me. So I can talk to Kenzi and Tamsin tomorrow at the birthday party. Those two won't miss this for the world."

"Alright. We finalize the details tomorrow." Vex rubs his hands while smiling widely. "This will be fun."

"I will make a temporary template for the betting pool so the others will have an idea of how we like it to be."

"Good idea man."

"Thank you. So I would like to talk to you three occupants of this house but..." Hale looks at Lauren with Bo. "...but the third member is busy with her 'friend' so I'll speak to the two of you." He laughs while doing the air quotes.

"Oh we'll just tell Lauren about it. So what is it Officer?" Ciara encourages Hale to speak.

"Your house is big and I am just wondering if you have an extensive security system. You know as a police officer and your friend, I'm just curious..."

"Well the owner seems to be a traditionalist so the 'extensive' security system that we currently have are just keys."

"Keys? Uh that's not comforting. If Bo will know this, she will tell you the same."

"Then let's hear it from you Officer. I'm actually thinking about it so now you're here, we can discuss it."

"Okay. Let's tour around your house and I will make suggestions."

Ciara nods. "That's fine with me Hale."

"Okay. Let's start with your main door..."

"Is this your truck?" Lauren gestures at the red pickup that was parked in the front of the house.

"It is actually my grandfather's but he doesn't drive anymore so I use it whenever my car is not available."

"I see." The doctor smiles widely.

"Why are you smiling like that?" Bo asks.

"Oh it's just that both the Lewis' patriarchs are both big fans of trucks." The blonde's face is nostalgic. "So I grew up riding shotgun in them." She sighs. "I just suddenly miss them, that's all."

"Really? Tell me."

"Well I started riding shotgun at the age of 9. I just love the feel of sitting in the passenger seat of a truck. We roamed the city of Torrance, just me and my grandfather, on every summer vacation I had with them. We visited his friends and he regaled them with my new scholastic achievements. He's very proud of me. He, being a former science teacher, was proud that one of his grandchildren followed his footsteps in loving science you know? Both my dad and Vincent went to study business and I was the only one who followed his footsteps." She steals a glance at Bo and sees the brunette smiling at her. "Why are you smiling like that?"

"I'm just happy to hear you talk about your grandfather. It is obvious that you love and miss him terribly."

"Yes I do. I love them both very much. It's just hard that my grandparents are far away from me. I really want to give back to them for all what they did for me. They were my first teachers - not just for science and baking but about love and life..."

Bo nods. "I understand. I also feel the same with my grandparents. That's why when my grandmother died, I felt a sense of regret that I wasn't able to give back for what she did for me. Good thing I still have Pops."

"You were 12 years old when your grandmother died right?"

"Yeah."

"You said earlier that she was very kind to you. And she gave you a painting of hers before she died. I know that it was frustrating on your part that you were not given the chance to love her more but I know that you are thinking about her every single day, correct?"

Bo's eyes are glassy as she asks the doctor, "How do you know that?"

"Well based on my experience, I can't think of my grandfather without thinking about my grandmother, that's how. And I know you are thinking about your Pops every single day and by that, I presume you are also thinking about her right?"

The police officer just nods.

"So by thinking about her every day, I think that she knows how much you love her."

Bo nods again. A tear drops from her eye.

Lauren sees the tear and exclaims, "Oh my God Bo, I'm sorry I made you cry."

A small smile escapes the brunette's lips. "No, it's okay Lauren. It's just that what you have said went straight to my heart and I can't help myself... maybe because it's Pop's birthday tomorrow and I can't help myself but to also think of my grandmother..." Tears keep on falling down. "I'm sorry, I can't seem to control my tears..."

The doctor's eyes widen. It hurts her heart seeing the brunette crying like this so without thinking, she resolves her dilemma right away. She walks into Bo's personal space and places her hand into her waist and her other hand to her shoulder. She encloses her arms into Bo's body and brings herself closer. After a few moments, she feels Bo's arms around her neck. She then slides her hand from the brunette's shoulder to the back of her head. She softly nudges it to lay on her shoulder. When she feels Bo's breath into her neck, she proceeds to rub her other hand on her back while comforting Bo with words.

"Shhh it is okay Bo, I'm here. I'm sorry I made you cry."

Bo nods and sniffs, unable to speak. She is overwhelmed by emotions not really foreign to her but is a little bit dazed on how quick the doctor comforted her.

Lauren sighs and closes her eyes, oblivious to Bo's warring emotions. She continues to rub the brunette's back. After a few beats, she starts to hum a song unconsciously. And then she sways them, side to side.

 ** _Where do I begin?_**

 ** _To tell the story of how great a love can be_**

 ** _The sweet love story that is older than the sea_**

 ** _The simple truth about the love he brings to me_**

 ** _Where do I start?_**

The swaying stops when she hears her name from the brunette's lips. She opens her eyes and leans back. "Bo?"

"What is the song that you are humming?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You were humming a song while you were comforting me. You also swayed us a little from side to side, you know like we're slow dancing." Bo smiles a little and winks at the doctor.

The doctor's face reddens and awkwardly smiles at Bo. "I honestly didn't..." Her explanation is interrupted by the ringing of her phone. The melody of the song Every Breath You Take by Police screams into the silent night. She huffs, "It's Dyson." She crunches her face.

Bo chuckles, forgetting her small breakdown earlier.

"Dyson?"

 ** _"_** ** _Hi cupcake!"_**

"Don't call me cupcake!"

 ** _"_** ** _But why? You are my cupcake!"_**

Lauren rolls her eyes. "I'm already on my late 20's so comparing me to a small cake is not appropriate at this time."

 ** _"_** ** _What? But you are my cupcake!"_**

"Please just... argggggh!"

Dyson laughs. **_"Oh my! I'm not there with you right now but I know that you're already blushing!"_** He laughs more. **_"I miss you Lo!"_**

The doctor smiles at the sentiment. "I miss you too Dy!"

 ** _"_** ** _Where are you?"_**

Lauren raises her eyebrow. "I'm here at the house, why?"

 ** _"_** ** _Are you inside or outside?"_** Dyson teases.

"I'm outside." She clears her throat.

 ** _"_** ** _Really? You're outside?"_** He mockingly questions her.

She knows this routine. "You know what, this is getting old." She looks at Bo. "Just tell me why you are calling."

 ** _"_** ** _You are still easily flustered cupcake. You are like that because you are with Bo. Put me in speaker. I want to talk to her."_**

"What? Why?"

 ** _"_** ** _You'll know. Please cupcake!"_**

Lauren huffs. "Fine." She leans into Bo and whispers, "Dyson wants to talk to you."

"Why?"

"I have no idea." She puts her phone in loudspeaker. "Dy, here's Bo."

 ** _"_** ** _Hi Officer Dennis. I'm Dyson Thornwood, Lauren's cousin."_** The voice is gentle but firm.

"Hi Mr. Thornwood. What can I do for you?" She stands straight when she hears the formal greeting.

He hesitates. **_"Yeah well about that... I just want to ask a few questions, if it's okay with you?"_**

"Sure, go ahead."

 ** _"_** ** _How long have you been a police officer?"_**

Of all the questions she's expecting to be asked of, this is not one of them. "Just over two years."

 ** _"_** ** _Okay. So how do you find it? What I mean is, are you happy to be a police officer?"_**

The question somewhat bothers the brunette but she answers eloquently. "Well 'happy' is not the word that I will use in this situation Mr. Thornwood. I rather use the word 'fulfilled', if I may say so."

 ** _"_** ** _Oh very good. I think that's better."_** He clears his throat. **_"In your experience as a cop, what was the hardest part of it?"_**

The brunette sighs. "Well I can say it is the time spent on it. Not just the number of hours but the uncertainty of fixed shifts. It's not that kind of 9 to 5 job. It's a 24-hour job as far as I'm concerned. A policeman's job doesn't end when he goes out of the station. It can be another shift."

 ** _"_** ** _I_** **_see."_** He sighs. **_"Thank you for answering my questions Officer Dennis. It's a big help."_**

The doctor, whose innate characteristic is curiosity can't help herself not to intervene, interrupts the conversation between her cousin and Bo. "Help? What's going on Dy? And why are you interrogating Bo about her job? Are you questioning her intentions of being here as our friend? What's going on?"

 ** _"_** ** _No no no cupcake! This is not an interrogation nor questioning her intentions of being there with you."_**

"Then what is this all about?" The doctor's protectiveness over the police officer is evident from the tone of her voice.

 ** _"_** ** _Lauren, I'll be coming there in New Haven in two months. I'll be there permanently. I already quit the family business over here. I no longer want to be in the midst of it. I already talked to your mom and dad and they let me go. This is my chance to be there with Ciara. I'm asking these questions because I'm thinking of entering the police academy next year and be a policeman."_**

"Oh. Ciara knows about this?"

 ** _"_** ** _Yes."_**

"Okay. You know that I will support you Dy. Sorry for biting your head off."

 ** _"_** ** _It's okay. Just promise me that I can still call you cupcake."_** Dyson chuckles good-naturedly."

"Okay muffin!"

Her cousin groans. **_"I thought you have forgotten about that."_**

"Obviously no." She laughs.

 ** _"_** ** _I really miss you Lo. Don't worry, in two months' time I'll be there."_** He sighs. " ** _Officer Dennis, I'm sorry if you are offended by the way I ask my questions earlier. It's not my intention to do that. I just want your help."_**

"Just call me Bo, Dyson. And it's okay. I'm not offended or anything. Did I help you decide?"

 ** _"_** ** _You're a big help Bo. Thank you."_**

"No problem. You are Lauren's cousin, Vex's best friend and Ciara's boyfriend so it's okay. No biggie. But can I ask you a question?"

 ** _"_** ** _Go ahead."_**

"Why do you want to be a policeman? I mean obviously you're a businessman like Vex. But you're quitting."

 ** _"_** ** _Well I've been with the family business from the time I graduated the business school. But my heart's not really on it. Ciara knew this. And I always go back to my time in the army."_**

"You served in the army? That's a big plus."

 ** _"_** ** _All I really wanted was to be a law enforcement officer. But my family intervened and I got my business degree just to appease them. I already served the family for many years. I think it's my time."_**

Lauren speaks up. "And the family is very thankful for that Dy. Heck, I left California to avoid serving the family. But you stayed. Thank you for carrying that burden."

 ** _"_** ** _Lo, don't be so hard on yourself. You did not avoid serving the family. You are part of that family. You are brave to follow your dreams. I'm not that brave enough to do that in the past and I admire you because you stood your ground."_**

"Thank you Dy. But you know my misgivings about that. So I'll expect you to be here in two months? I really want you to meet Bo and Hale. Well you already talked to her but you know to meet them both personally."

 ** _"_** ** _I'm really looking forward meeting you in person Bo. And of course, Hale. Is he your partner?"_**

"I'm also looking forward to meet you Dyson. And yes, Hale is my partner."

 ** _"Thank you again Bo. Cupcake? I miss you. I'll be there in October. Just to visit all of you. I miss Ciara terribly. Phone and video calls are not enough."_** Dyson sighs. **_"I may ask her to marry me next year Lo."_**

"What really?! I'm so happy for you Dy."

 ** _"_** ** _Do you think she'll have me?"_**

"Of course, she'll have you! My God Dy, it has been what, 9 years! You are a changed man because of her!"

 ** _"_** ** _Oh you need to mention that in front of Bo?"_** Dyson groans.

Bo laughs. "It is okay Dyson. At least you changed. That's a good thing."

"See?" She looks at Bo. "You know Dyson was a player back then. That's why I called him 'muffin'. You know, stud muffin?" The doctor laughs. "When he met Ciara, he eventually changed. It was admirable, still is."

 ** _"_** ** _Thank you cupcake for that trivia!"_** He exclaims then momentarily sobers. **_"When you meet 'The One' Lo, you will understand. Ciara is 'The One' for me._**

"I know. She really loves you."

 ** _"I know. That's why I'm going to marry her."_**

"Wow."

 ** _"_** ** _You're the first one to know Lo. And I want you to be with me when I choose her engagement ring, okay? I need her measurements and what she wants. Please Lo."_**

"You didn't have to beg. Of course I will be there!"

"Hey, I am here! I also know now." Bo interrupts while laughing.

 ** _"_** ** _Of course Bo. I'm just happy to share the news."_**

"Well I'm happy for you and Ciara."

 ** _"_** ** _Thank you."_** They hear a voice calling Dyson. **_"That's Leonard Lo. I need to go. He's replacing me at Lovel Pharmaceuticals so we need to go over some details. I'll talk to very soon okay. Love you!"_**

"Seriously Leonard will replace you? Wow strange things happen!"

 ** _"_** ** _I know right!"_**

 **"** Well I will let you go then. Love you too Dy! Bye."

 ** _"_** ** _Bye Lo! Bye Bo!"_**

"Bye Dyson!" The brunette officer quips.

Lauren stares at her phone. "Wow that's a lot to take in."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, first is Dyson coming here and planning to stay, then proposing to Ciara. Second, quitting his job and planning to be a policeman then, his older brother Leonard taking over his job." Her eyebrow furrows. "Those are big changes in his life. Of course I will support him as he supported me when I decided to come here."

Bo nods, a signal to the blonde to continue.

"Dyson has been a straight arrow all his life. What I mean is he lives by the rule. He will do what his parents tell him to do. No questions asked, he will not hesitate. That's the difference between him and Vex."

"Vex is a rule breaker?" The brunette asks.

"Exactly. For Vex, if he doesn't want it he won't do it. Even if it's his mom telling him to do it. Growing up with Vex and Dyson, I saw the difference between them. Like for instance, my mother really wanted me to learn how to ride horses but I didn't like it. Dyson admonished me and said that I should follow my mother. He said my mother just want the best for me. But Vex told me not to do it if I didn't want it. So I defied my mother. My mother became angry at Vex. And he didn't mind. You know what happened?" Bo shakes her head. "Dyson took my place. He learned to ride horses for me just to placate her."

"Wow. They both loved you that time but they showed it in different ways."

"I know. It's amazing, having them both as my brothers and best friends. Now I realized Dyson will be here very soon. Do you think there will be a confrontation?"

"Confrontation?"

"The bet Bo! He will finally propose to Ciara. Do you think the secrets will unravel themselves?"

"Oh yeah! So Dyson will also live here in this house?"

"Of course. My God, the three of them will be together in this house. And I'm in the middle of it." Lauren widens her eyes.

"Well it looks like Vex and Ciara are okay being on the same house… is Vex currently dating someone right now?"

"No, he's dating on and off and it's off for now." The blonde looks at the brunette. "Why? Are you interested?"

"Whaaat! Of course not!" Bo exclaims indignantly. _You're the one I like to date and no one else._

"I'm just kidding Bo." The doctor winks. _She's still beautiful when she's flustered._

Bo huffs. "Well I'm asking because in this situation it will be in their best interests if he's dating so that Dyson will not think that Vex is taking advantage of his absence."

"You think Dyson will think that way?"

"It can go either way Lauren. Between us, you are more capable of answering that question since you knew him all your life." Bo shrugs.

"Oh. Just fuckin' great!" The doctor whines. "Would you think that I'm bad if I say that the sooner the confrontation happens, the better for all of us?"

"Then we are both bad Lauren. After that, they can all move on. Just think that the confrontation will be cathartic for all. Emotions will fly, words will be spoken but in the end, all will be well. Then you will stop worrying then."

"I hope you're right Bo." She sighs. "You know I just realized Dyson and Vex are experiencing milestones in their lives, totally 180 degrees turnaround."

"What do you mean?"

"Well I told you about Dyson being a straight arrow and Vex being a rule breaker?" Bo nods. "As you heard from Dyson, he's now coming out of his shell. All his life, he is following everyone telling him what to do. But now, he's doing the complete opposite. He's now doing the things he wanted to do in the past. And Vex, for once in his life, is following what he was ordered to do." The doctor thinks for a moment then exclaims, "Oh I haven't told you about Vex…"

The officer interrupts, "Yes you haven't told me about that. But before we talk about Vex, do you want us to sit inside the truck? Our legs are already stretched for quite some time you know." She laughs.

"Oh yeah. Sorry Bo." She then tugs the officer's arm and they walk towards the truck. "Let's go then. Let me take a look at your truck."

Bo let the doctor drag her to where her truck is parked. At this point, she knows she will follow Lauren wherever she wants her to be. She knows it's been only two days but the pull the doctor has with her is undeniably strong and can't be denied. It's like they are making up for the lost time. It's a good feeling inside and it warms her heart. She's still thinking about it when she hears the doctor calling her name.

"What?"

"Where have you been?"

"Here with you." She smiles her patented bedimpled smile.

The blonde laughs. "C'mon." She stares at the truck. "This is a Dodge Dakota TRX4 right?"

Bo's eyes widen. "How did you know that?"

"Well the same exact truck is sitting in my grandparents' garage. The only difference is the color. Mine is yellow."

"Seriously?"

"Yes. It was a gift from my grandparents on my birthday 2 years ago."

"What a nice coincidence!"

"It is. So can we sit now?"

"Oh sure. Let me…" Bo unlocks the car. She immediately goes into the driver's side of the truck and looks at Lauren. "Do you want to sit here in the driver's seat?"

"Can I?"

"Sure." Bo opens the truck's door and wait for the doctor to enter the vehicle.

"Bo you don't have to open the door for me. I can do it by myself." Lauren groans.

"I want to do it. Please Lauren, come here now and sit on the driver's seat. C'mon."

The doctor beams. "Thank you Bo. You're sweet."

When Bo sees the doctor finally sit on the driver's seat, she turns around and hurriedly walks towards the passenger seat. She climbs the passenger seat and settles into it.

"So Doctor, how was it? When was the last time you have driven your truck?""

"Well last year when I was there during Thanksgiving. I drove my grandfather around Torrance. It was fun." The doctor relates while rubbing the steering wheel.

Bo turns her body to the left. She stares at the doctor's face then looks down at the hands that are rubbing the steering wheel, her steering wheel. _Oh how I envy the steering wheel now._ She gulps. "Uhm so what's the thing about Vex?"

"I told you that Vex is a rule breaker. He is the complete opposite of Dyson. But now it seems their roles are reversed. Dyson is breaking all the rules while Vex is following what his mother is telling him what to do."

"And that is?"

"Quitting his family's business and transferring the role of CEO to his younger sister."

"What?"

"From the time Vex got his Electrical Engineering Sciences degree, he took over his family's business. His mother was the former CEO but she got tired, retired from the family business and reluctantly gave the reins to him. She was reluctant because the degree he got from Yale was not a business related degree but he's intelligent and resourceful so he thrived. She was proven wrong. He stayed here for 2 years after he graduated, ran the business from here. But you know, to really know the business he really needed to be there so he went home. He was there for four years Bo. Then he came back in New Haven and managed the business from here. Last night when I went to Nadia's house, he was waiting for me in the house because he wanted me to know about his mother's directive. Although he's the CEO, his mother is still the matriarch of the family."

Bo is shocked but skeptical. "He just gave it up?"

"That's what he told me. He's still the CEO up until December 31 but he will be transferring it to Roxanne after that."

"Roxanne is his sister?"

"Yes. His mother is letting him go. He was sad and a little bit hurt because he worked hard for his family's business. And now his mother is taking it all away from him. But he loves his sister and he said he won't be a hindrance to his sister's success."

"I know that I'm not really knowledgeable about businesses but can't his mother give Roxanne another position in the company, like CFO or COO?" Bo asks, very curious about Vex's situation.

"Me too Bo. I really don't know the reason but all I know is that Roxanne just got her MBA from Stanford University this year." Lauren frowns. "Oh yeah, I have a theory." She looks at Bo.

"I think you nailed it on the head Doctor." Bo winks.

The doctor nods. "So now, he's grasping at straws. He doesn't know what to do next year." She leans her right shoulder on the driver's seat back support. "I suggested that he go back to school. He's considering it but I don't know…"

"Yeah well, Tamsin is also in quandary of what to do next. She has been working as a bartender in my grandfather's pub for years but she already finished school. Now she doesn't know if she will continue working at the bar or pursue her career as an interior designer and landscaper."

"Lots of decisions to make…" Lauren turns her body and leans back. "What about you? You told Dyson that you are fulfilled with your job. Is that true?"

Bo bites her lip. "Yeah that's true. I mean it was only two years but I'm doing what I want although sometimes my childhood dream comes popping up in my mind."

The officer's statement captures Lauren's rapt attention so she turns her head to the brunette and asks, "So what's your childhood dream Bo?"

"I wanted to be a lawyer like Pops but I like to be a prosecutor, then maybe I can be a district attorney." The officer sighs. "Who knows? Maybe someday…"

"Well you can always go back to school. You're still young…" The doctor smiles encouragingly. "As long as the desire still burns in your heart and mind, it will happen."

"I hope so. Thank you Lauren. What about you?"

"Me? Right now, I'm officially on my 4th year of residency. As you know my specialty is Genetics, specifically Clinical Genetics and Genomics. In my first two years of residency, I was trained to provide comprehensive diagnostic treatment, management and counseling services for individuals and families at risk for clinical disorders with genetic basis."

"So you can also see and treat patients?"

"Yes. I will be a specialist that is trained to evaluate individuals of all ages who are at risk for hereditary conditions."

"Will?"

"Once I pass the board certification that will be held in August next year."

"You will pass it in flying colors."

The doctor laughs. "How do you know that I will pass Officer?"

"I know, trust me." Bo winks at her.

Lauren chuckles. "Well I will be going to undergo two board certifications - one for Clinical Genetics and Genomics and one for the laboratory counterpart. I am now in my second year of my residency for the research or laboratory part. This is actually my favorite, the research. So I really can't fail."

"Why?"

"Because it is my favorite and I think it is very important because scientists like me know that unlocking the genetic code would lead to a better understanding of health and disease. There are still many undiscovered and unclassified diseases in the world Bo that can trigger widespread danger. I want to discover at least one of them and then of course, I also want to discover how to treat that disease so that at least on my own little way, I'll be doing my part in helping mankind."

"That's your goal?"

"Career-wise, yes. To discover a disease and its treatment or to discover a new technique that will unravel the treatment of an untreatable disease that was already discovered."

"Those are admirable goals Doctor. How do you plan to do that if I may ask?"

"Research grants my dear Officer." The doctor smiles widely. "There are numerous government agencies, like the National Institute of Health, that can provide scientists the funding they need for their research."

"I see. So that's your... what 5-year goal?"

"Yes it is. What about you?"

While the two ladies are sitting comfortably inside the truck, the two insatiably curious men are presently looking for them.

"Hale, where are they? Can you see them from where you stand?" Vex whispers his question, leaning on the side of the house.

"Uh yes, they are inside the truck."

"Let's go. I want to go and talk to them for a change. Go on. They are already glued together most of the night. What the hell are they talking about?" The shorter man exclaims incredulously.

Hale laughs. "Things that you talk about with the person that you like. Like when you are in a date, getting to know each other."

"Oh yeah, getting to know each other." Vex nods. "Let's approach the vehicle from behind. I don't think they will notice us. I will approach the driver's seat." The two men quietly walk towards the truck.

Hale hears his partner's voice. "... maybe in 2 to 3 years, I'll get my detective badge. I always wanted to be a homicide detective..." He raises her eyebrow. _Oh partner, sharing your dreams already?_

On the other side, Vex is looking at the side mirror. He doesn't want Lauren to see that he's spying. He's already near the driver's seat but the two passengers of the truck don't seem to notice their presence. _Looks like they are inside their own little world._ Then suddenly, he hears his best friend's voice.

"Oh a detective like Hercule Poirot and Sherlock Holmes! That's amazing Bo!"

That's when Hale decided to have their presence known. "Oh yes partner that's amazing! Right Vex?"

To tell the two women are shocked beyond belief is an understatement but the sounds they made are comical if not outright laughable.

Bo was the first to recover from the shock. She punches her partner on the arm and hollers, "Hey you can't just do that to us Hale!"

"And why not? Vex and I are already here a few minutes ago and you didn't notice us!"

"What? That's impossible. Bo and I are just talking and then you just speak up!"

"No you ignored us and that hurts Lo!" Vex interjects.

Lauren laughs and turns her head to Vex. "You are always my drama king Vex! C'mon we didn't hear you approaching the truck. That's kind of sneaky."

"We did use our ninja skills Doc." Hale smirks.

Bo glares at her partner. "So... what do you need from us, the two of you?"

Vex gasps. "Oh my God! The two of you are in your own little world ages ago. You don't want to hang out with us? We are just chopped livers for you huh, Officer Dennis?"

The brunette officer blushes. "We are not in our own little world Vex. We are just hanging out. We went inside the truck because Lauren here told me that she has the exact same truck in her grandfather's garage in Torrance."

"Oh yeah. Lo, is it the same model? Talking about coincidence Officer Dennis!" Vex winks at Bo and wiggles his eyebrows.

Bo can't help herself but to laugh at Vex's antics.

"Yes it is. Remember when I have driven us to Los Angeles and my parents saw us?" Lauren looks at Bo and Hale. "My father was so happy he rode at the back and went with us to The Grove. While my mother was left in the parking lot fuming mad because... what did she say Vex?"

Vex crumples his face and points his finger to the doctor. "I won't tolerate this behavior Lauren. I won't have the heiress of The Lewis family seen driving a truck in the middle of Los Angeles." Then laughs wickedly. "Oh my God, I was so afraid of her she might succumb to heart attack. You are so bad that day Lo!"

Bo looks at Hale when Vex mentioned the term 'heiress'.

"What happened after that?" Hale asks.

"Well her mother just went back to their building and maybe cursed her husband and daughter?"

Hale looks at Bo when Vex mentioned the phrase "their building'. He can't help but ask, "What is The Grove?"

Lauren blushes. "Oh that's our favorite restaurant in Los Angeles."

Vex sobers up. "Yeah it's our favorite restaurant." He looks at Lauren and clears his throat." We eat there a lot. Maybe some time Bo and Hale, you go with us to California and we will eat there. You will love it. Lots of great food and the ambiance wow! You will see why it was called 'The Grove'."

"A grove means a small group of trees right? It's like an orchard, with lots of trees that bear fruits." Hale asks.

"That's right Hale. The idea of 'The Grove' is exactly patterned on that definition. The restaurant was surrounded by group of trees – trees that are tall like a sequoia tree and trees that bear fruits like apple, orange, pear, etc. It was like dining in the middle of a forest."

Bo asks, "Who owns the restaurant?"

"A family friend." Vex immediately replies. "The whole idea is good right? You will experience eating out surrounded by lots of trees. You won't know that you are in the middle of Los Angeles or any of the cities of California."

"Any of the cities of California, you mean what?"

"Oh The Grove in Los Angeles is not the only one. It has restaurants in Torrance, Palos Verdes Estates, San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento, Long Beach and Fresno."

"With the same concept, the restaurant surrounded by lots of trees?"

"Of course."

Bo looks at Lauren and sees the doctor looking down at her lap, biting her lip. Her attention is back with Vex when the businessman quips, "The restaurant in Los Angeles, Palos Verdes Estates, Torrance and Long Beach each earned one Michelin star already. The others are on their way to earn it."

"One Michelin star? Wow those stars are hard to earn." The brunette officer exclaims.

"Aha, you know your Michelin stars Bo?"

Bo snorts. "Of course. I watched countless cooking shows, food channels and food expeditions on TV. I should know."

Lauren looks up. "Really?

"Yeah. I love food Lauren. You should know that by now."

"Really Officer Dennis? You love food more than..." He is interrupted when Ciara suddenly appeared at the side of Hale.

"What are you talking about?" Ciara asks.

"The Grove." Vex answers.

"Oh the Michelin starred restaurants that Lauren's family own." Ciara nods and smiles.

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 **Author's Note: Maybe you noticed that I changed the tense of the story. I thought about this for a long time and I think using present tenses are better. I will change tense of the previous chapters. Thank you to the guest who commented about it.**


	12. Chapter 12 - Fall 2006

**Author's Note: As I promised, another chapter is here. Enjoy. Thank you for the reviews, favorites, follows and just by reading this story of mine. I'm not really a good storyteller but I'm doing by best :). Three days ago, I received a prompt in my e-mail stating that a guest has reviewed my story. I am always looking forward to each review even though it's a bad review. But this review, it's not that bad but I was incredulous after reading it. Just to be clear, at this time of the story Lauren is 27 years old and Bo is 26 years old but she will be 27 in a few months so expect a birthday chapter very soon. I admit that I miscalculated the years Dyson and Ciara have been together. I know I've written it 9 years but it should be 10 so pardon my mistake. The review also said that Bo and Lauren talked mainly about leaves... so nothing else is happening. Are you reading my story dude? They just didn't talk mainly about leaves, you are taking it literally. Look at their connection! Or maybe I just failed to convey what I really want to say in the scene. Okay, end of rant!**

 **Last week, it was Anna Silk's birthday and she started a blog. I read her first entry and I was really amazed. I was inspired. Anna, you are amazing! I'm glad that you and Zoie are both amazing and inspiring women. It really pushes me to tell this story.**

 **Disclaimer: I still don't own Lost Girl. I just want to be a part of their world.**

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 **Chapter Twelve**

Vex groans and covers his face with his hands. Lauren closes her eyes and sighs.

"What? What happened?" Ciara looks at Bo and Hale.

Hale looks at Bo then to Ciara. "You kind of let a secret out Doc."

"What? I mean, it's a secret?"

"Of course not Ci." Lauren speaks up. "Vex is actually easing on telling them that. And because I'm kind of shy talking about it. You know about what I feel about all of these Ci. The enormity..."

Ciara interrupts. "I'm so sorry Lauren." She says contritely. "I know how you feel."

Lauren looks at Bo and Hale, her face apologetic. "Vex and I didn't mean to mislead you or anything."

"No harm done Doc." Hale smiles.

Bo leans towards Lauren and rubs the doctor's shoulder. "No problem Lauren. I actually thought about it. Vex has been going on and on about 'The Grove' and he's so familiar with it so I have some ideas. At first, I thought that Vex's family owns it but when he said that the family of his friend owns 'The Grove', I kinda think that your family owns it instead. And plus, you are looking down all the time while Vex regaled us about 'The Grove'. You haven't said a word after you told us that it's your favorite restaurant. Then you perked up when I mentioned the Michelin stars."

Vex stares at Bo and smiles, his eyes thankful. "Hey very good observational skills Officer."

"Thank you Vex." She smiles. "So Lauren, since your family owns it then you should treat us when we come to California." She winks at the doctor.

The doctor blushes again. "Sure no problem Bo. Just come to California, you and Hale both and I'll make sure that you will enjoy your time in 'The Grove'."

"Oh yeah!" Hale does a fist pump but quickly sobers up. "But when are we going to California? It's so far away!"

Ciara laughs. "Well maybe we can do that a little bit sooner huh?"

Vex's eyebrow quirks up. "Huh! What are you planning to do?"

"You'll see." She winks at Vex.

Vex's curiosity flares up, leans into the driver's seat window. "What's up? You're going back to California?"

The doctor nods. "I am invited by Dyson's parents." She opens the back door to the truck and climbs in.

"Really? When is this?" Vex stretches his neck to look at Ciara.

"I'm not sure if I'm going there in Thanksgiving or Christmas.

"Thanksgiving will be hosted by the Thornwoods so..." He looks at Lauren. "... then the Christmas will be the Lewises, right?"

"Right."

"Thank God I'm not hosting anything this year." Vex huffs.

"Well you will be hosting again next year."

"Oh yeah. But it's next year so that's okay."

"Your families are alternating as hosts?" Hale asks.

"Yeah. Last year's Thanksgiving was hosted by the Lamberts while Christmas was by my family. Next year, Ryan and I will be switching occasions."

"That's a tradition of your families?"

"For over 20 years or so." Lauren states somberly.

"Why do you say it like that?" Vex laughs.

The doctor stares at Vex. "What?"

"Like you are tired of it."

"No of course not. It's just now that I'm reminded that my family will be hosting Christmas, I'm not really looking forward for what will happen."

"Like?"

"Well first I'm not allowed to cook or bake."

"You are not? How come?" Bo asks.

Lauren snorts. "Because I am assigned to socializing. And I hate it. I want to be in the kitchen, not in the living room talking to people that I don't want to talk to."

"I'll stick with you. I won't keep you out of my sight."

"Really?" She slaps cheek lightly. "You left me in last year's Thanksgiving." She looks at the others and pouts. "He left me when he saw Joann."

"And who's Joann?" Hale asks.

"My Nana Lupe's daughter."

"What?" Vex puts his hands in his waist. "Wait. You misunderstood my motive of seeking Joann out last year. I want her out of your hands."

"Out of my hands? Why? We already talked Vex. She said she understood."

"No, it's the other way around." He slaps his forehead. "My mistake; I want you out of her hands."

Lauren frowns then sighs.

Ciara looks at Hale then they look at Bo. Bo's face is unreadable.

"Well she was crying and the others were starting to stare at her. What a time to confess her feelings then being shut down. I dare say what a waste of time when you already told her..." Vex suddenly stops and clears his throat, now being mindful of his audience. "... that you don't have the same feelings for her. I'm sorry Lo, I don't intend to tell that story."

"It's okay Vex." She then faces the three of her friends. "Joann is my Nana Lupe's daughter. She's three years younger than me. We were close when we were young because early on, Nana Lupe introduced them to Vincent and me. Nana's other child is Gilbert, two years younger than Joann. They were nice kids." She stops, wanting to choose her words carefully. "Two years ago, my grandmother, well Grandma Lewis told me that Joann has been telling her how she admires me and her intention to visit me here. Moms warned me that it's not a simple admiration. Her intention to fly here and see me is a big thing. So I told Moms to stop her because it won't do any good. It's just a waste of her time. So last year, she cornered me and confessed."

"It was not a good sight. Dyson and Ryan were both useless, they just stood there and watched. It was awkward. Vincent was shocked. So to save her face, I pulled Joann from you and let her out of the house. And I also gave her some advice." Vex shares.

"Really? Can we hear it?" Ciara asks.

"Seriously?"

"Yes. Go on, I want to know what you told her."

Lauren looks at Bo. She scans the brunette's beautiful face at that very moment. There's a certain disconnect that occupies her face, a mask. A wall she certainly erected; an act that she is accustomed to. The doctor looks away, her heart hurts a bit. She doesn't want to see the mask so she doesn't dwell on it. She looks at her best friend and encourages him to continue. "Please continue."

"Okay. I told her – Things will get better Joann. Right now, you are hurting and it hurts a lot. I know what you are going through. I won't tell you the details but I know. It will take time and it will take a lot from you. It will be a process. Moving on is a process." He sighs. "She then asked me what if she doesn't want to move on. I asked why. She said maybe you'll change your mind." He looks at Lauren. Lauren closes her eyes and shakes her head. "Well I told her – Joann, Lauren is not like that. When she said no, it's really a no. She won't change her mind. She already told you no and it's an outright refusal. I'm sorry but you need to hear the truth. But I'm telling you, you need to move on. It's for your own good. Then she cried and cried. And then I just hugged her."

"Doc, you are a heart breaker!" Hale quips. "There's Nadia, then now there's Joann..."

The doctor opens her eyes and looks at Hale. "No I'm not a heart breaker. You know why? Because I don't know why Joann felt that way for me. Why me? I really felt bad because she's my childhood friend. I tried softening the blow but I..." She frowns. "It's better that way. I needed to tell her early on. Less time, less heartaches right?"

"I wholeheartedly agree." Vex nods.

"Me too." Hale agrees.

When silence ensues, Vex looks at Bo. "Bo?"

"What?"

"Do you agree?"

"Oh! Yeah, yeah I agree." Bo says absent-mindedly. Vex raises his eyebrow. Then he looks at Ciara. "And you?"

Ciara shrugs. "Uhuh." Her phone rings. "Oh it's Dyson. Excuse me guys!" She gets out of the truck and walks towards the house. Vex sighs.

"And as for Nadia..." Lauren glances at Hale. "...I didn't feel bad breaking her heart because I didn't really like her... at all."

Bo can't help but smile at Lauren's statement but she suddenly wipes the smile off her face when she noticed Vex is looking at her.

Lauren, oblivious to what happened, looks at Vex. "You know you haven't told me what you told Nadia so she could stop..."

"... pestering you?" The doctor nods. "I told her that I'll kill her if she keeps on bothering you." Vex states nonchalantly.

"Seriously?" Lauren asks Vex, her irritation evident in her face.

"Seriously. Try it, it's effective. She stopped right?"

"You know that I know you so well Vaughn. And I know I'm not the most perceptive person out there but I know when you're lying." Lauren admonishes her best friend.

Hale and Bo snicker.

"So what time do we have to go to your house tomorrow Bo?" He asks, effectively changing the subject. Lauren rolls her eyes.

The brunette officer sobers up. "Oh yeah. The party will start at around 7:00 pm since that's the time Pops will go home from his meeting with his friends. You have to be there an hour before that."

"Okay. Hale man, you are also coming at around 6:00 pm?"

"Yeah, I will be there on the dot."

"Don't forget."

"You know I won't." Hale winks.

Bo looks at Hale and Vex. _Huh there's something going on and I don't have any idea._

"Hale, what do you usually do in a Sunday?" Lauren suddenly asks.

"You're asking me Doc?" The tall officer winks. "Every Sunday, my family and I, immediate and extended family included, come together in our house to have our luncheon. My mother will cook her usual dishes. Mind you, they are delicious so it's okay if she cooks them every week. That's it. But if I wake up early, I sometimes run. Just to keep on shape you know so I could jump cliffs more." He laughs.

The doctor sits up straight. "You run?"

"Yes Doc. I started doing it when I was still in Brown. It's part of the training for basketball varsity players." He looks at his partner. "Right Bo?"

"Oh yeah of course. We need to run to increase the endurance and efficiency of the cardiorespiratory system. But running is just one part of the cardiovascular training. We can also do biking, swimming and hiking. Running is effective but it could also be stressful so it should not be done for a long period of time or distance. That's for the aerobic part. We still have the anaerobic part wherein we need to sprint then rest." Bo relates.

Hale stares at her. "Partner, again you astound me."

"Why? What I said is true. That's our usual off-season training regimen..." Bo continues.

Hale looks at Vex. "Look at her huh, she just goes on and on..."

"Oh I can relate Hale. This one..." He points at Lauren. "...is also like that."

"Hey we're here, we can hear you." Lauren says in protest. She looks at Bo and frowns. Bo winks at her.

The doctor realizes that the mask is now gone. She breathes a sigh of relief.

"Hey you two stop that. Before we talk about anything else, what's with you two? I think there's something going on." Bo asks the men. "I intend to find out, that's a promise."

Hale smiles. "What? There's nothing going on. Right Vex?" He certainly acts hard to look innocent.

"Nothing is going on." Vex shakes his head.

Bo narrows her eyes. "Right." She looks at her watch. "Whoa! It's already 11:30 pm. Hale and I already took much of your time tonight." She looks at Lauren and Vex. "And since you..." She points to Hale and Vex. "...are hiding a secret from us..." She points to Lauren and herself. "...it's time to go home. And besides, we will be seeing each other tomorrow. I'll continue the badgering at the birthday party."

Lauren laughs as the two men frown.

Vex removes himself from the driver's seat door and quickly walks towards Hale.

When the two men are halfway to the house, Bo looks at Lauren. "See? They are keeping a secret but they aren't hiding it."

"What? I'm kind of confused."

"Look at them. They are talking in a secretive way. They have something that they are keeping from us but they are not being subtle. We are still here. They know we can see them."

Lauren nods. "So what is it all about? You have any idea?"

"No idea whatsoever but as I told you, I intend to find out."

"Maybe it's not too important because they are not trying to hide it.

"Yeah, but my spidey senses are tingling. That's why I can't just ignore it."

The doctor laughs. "Spidey senses? What, you're 12 years old?"

Bo's face reddens, smiling shyly. "Oh Kenzi and I called it like that."

"I'm just teasing you Bo. It's cute." She leans forward and moves to open the truck's door. "Let's go inside the house. I bet they are already waiting for us."

Bo scrambles to her seat, opens her door. "Uh don't move Lauren. Let me open the door." She goes out and quickly walks towards the other side.

"But..." She protests. "...I can do it myself." She stares at the approaching figure of the officer. "You don't have to do this Bo."

"Well I'm here now." The brunette opens the door and gestures as if she's opening the door for a royalty. The doctor exits the driver's seat smiling.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Let's go." Bo starts to walk towards the house. She is already halfway when she finds Lauren still standing near the truck. She goes back where the doctor is. "Lauren..."

"Well did you know that there's a study that sought to determine if gender was related to the phenomenon of having one person open the door to a car for another?" The doctor asks.

Bo shakes her head.

"Some say that such a gesture of door opening is characterized as a form of benevolent sexism by males, reflecting their attempt to maintain dominance over women."

"Well I'm not a man so I will just call it chivalry. Do you agree Doctor?" The officer winks at the doctor.

"Very well said Officer." She smiles nervously. "Bo, before we go inside the house I would like to apologize..."

"Apologize? About what?"

"The incident about 'The Grove'.

Bo thinks for a moment and says, "But Lauren you already apologized for that and it's okay."

"But it's not okay with me. I want to explain."

"You don't have to do that..." Lauren starts to protest. "...but if you want, go ahead. For me, you don't need to explain Lauren."

"But why?"

"Because you have shared a lot of yourself tonight with me. You have spoken up and you haven't faltered in explaining things. You have opened up yourself. It was amazing really. I actually felt guilty because I just let you talk incessantly while I just listen. I didn't share a lot of me tonight."

"That's okay Bo. There would be next time."

"Then you don't have to explain. There would always be next time."

"But if I don't explain myself now, I don't think I will sleep peacefully tonight. I will think that I've done something wrong." She rolls her eyes. "Please Bo."

Bo nods and reaches out for the doctor's hand. "Fine. But first, let me tell you this. You didn't do anything wrong okay? At least in my eyes." She winks at the doctor.

The doctor lets out a small smile. "That statement makes me want to explain more now." She looks at the hand that is holding hers. She takes a deep breath and clear her throat.

"Hey looks like you are preparing for a long speech." Bo teases.

"Oh shut up!" Lauren groans.

"I'm just teasing you."

The doctor squeezes the officer's hand.

"Fine go ahead."

"The reason why I am very reluctant to share that part of my life is because I'm not really comfortable with the enormity of wealth and power my family has. That is one of the reasons why I decided to come here and study in Yale because I think Connecticut is so far away from California that I can't be reached, that I can avoid all of it. I don't even know all the businesses my family have right now. My father and brother even offered to take me to the main office and explain all of it to me. They offered every time I went home."

"You haven't been inside your family's building?"

"No. But I've been on the parking lot." The doctor smiles widely. "Remember the incident with my mother?"

Bo nods her head. "You haven't met any of your family's employees?"

"Oh I have. I have met all of them but not inside the building." She laughs. "We have this annual party for all of the employees and they were always held somewhere else."

"When did your family start to use that building as sort of headquarters?"

"1995. I was already here." She sighs. "Did you know that sometime in 1999, an issue of a business newspaper in California featured me in one of their articles and entitled it as 'The Reluctant Heiress'?"

"Sounds like a title of a 1970's trashy romantic novel."

"What?"

"Yeah, try googling it. There are lots of novels with that title."

"How did you know?"

"Let's not go there now. It's not that important." Bo smiles the patented bedimpled smile. "Are you finished with your explanation Doctor?"

"Yes."

"So do you feel good now that you have explained yourself?"

"You know, you can be a shrink. It's not too late to change careers."

"Well did you hear what I said to Dyson? I am already fulfilled with my chosen profession Doctor." She tugs Lauren's hand. "C'mon let's go inside. It's getting cold."

The doctor squeezes Bo's hand. "Thank you for listening Doctor Jung."

Inside the house, Hale and Vex are looking outside the windows.

"What are they doing? They seem to be talking again." Vex exclaims.

"Yes and it seems very serious. Look, no one's smiling." Hale tells his friend. "And they are holding hands."

"Is it too early for that?"

Hale laughs incredulously. "Are you serious?"

"Of course not. Hey, do you think Bo has an idea of the bet?"

"No, she's just fishing man."

"Okay. We should really keep it from them. The bet should be super secret. Tell that to Kenzi and Tamsin and whoever else that will join."

"No problem. Leave it to me."

"Oh looks like they are finished with their serious talk. They are already smiling. They are already walking towards the house. Come quick, let's sit." Vex quickly sits down on the couch. Hale follows.

Lauren is the first one who walks through the door then Bo. "Where's Ciara?"

"She's in the kitchen." Vex looks at Bo and Hale. "Do you want something to drink before you go?"

"Yes something to drink, preferably non-alcoholic." Lauren raises her hand.

Vex stands and walks towards the kitchen. "Let me get it for you."

Hale leans back at the couch. "Doc, tell me more about The Grove. What kinds of cuisine do the restaurant offers its customers?"

"Lots. Let me tell you first how it all began." She sits at the corner of the couch and crosses her legs. "My Grandma Lewis was a pastry baker. She began her journey of having a business with a small bakery near the house in Torrance. She called it The Dessert Factory. She baked a lots of pies and cakes and all kinds of bread and pastries. She went on and on and impressed Torrance of her brilliance in baking. My father suggested that they branch out to Los Angeles, then to San Francisco and the rest is history. When Nana Lupe came into our lives, my father thought of putting up restaurants in Torrance and Los Angeles. When the restaurants became successful, they incorporated the bakery with the restaurants."

"Wait Doc, so it means your restaurants have their own bakery on each branch?" Hale's eyes widen.

Lauren looks at Bo and they both laugh at him. "Yes Hale. And to answer your question earlier, we have American, French, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Chinese, Mexican, Japanese, Thai, Indian, British, Caribbean, Mediterranean, Vietnamese, Filipino, etc. We have a big kitchen. Every kitchen is in the center of each restaurant. Then the dining area is divided into 4 – 3 big dining areas then the other one is for the bakery."

"Wow that means you have lots of employees." Bo notes.

"Oh yeah. There's the executive chef, sous chefs, servers, the manager, cooks, dishwashers, hosts, buspersons, bartenders, bakers, counter servers, etc."

"And four of your restaurants already got 1 Michelin star each? How did they manage that? There are lots of cuisines that you cater to. That's impressive." The brunette exclaims.

"How do you know about that partner?" Hale asks.

"Again, watching food channels and any show that discuss food is my thing, really. I can watch them the whole day."

"No time to watch NBA games?"

"Of course, I have time for that. Once the 61st season starts, I'll be watching. It's just sad that the Knicks was dead last in their division last season."

"That sucks."

"You have the same favorite team?" Lauren asks.

"I actually don't have a favorite team Doc but since we are in the eastern side of the States, I dig most of the teams in the Eastern Conference so I'm okay with the Knicks." The tall officer replies.

"So your favorite is the Knicks?" Lauren asks Bo.

"Yeah, then the Celtics."

Vex suddenly walks towards the living room, carrying a carafe of lemon juice. "Aha, a Knicks and Celtics fan. A Lakers and Spurs fan here." He sneers at Bo.

The brunette groans. "Oh God, another Lakers fan."

"Who is the other Lakers fan if I may ask?"

"Tamsin."

"Oh goody!" He smiles widely. "We can go to Boston or New York if a game versus Lakers will come up next season."

"I'm game! You, Hale, Tamsin and I. Lauren will you go?" Bo asks seriously.

"I can watch. I think it will be fun considering Vex will not shout near my ears because I won't sit near him this time." The doctor laughs good-naturedly. "I think Dyson will also join. He also loves the Lakers. So if Dyson will come, then Ciara too. What about Kenzi?"

"She will come and support me. So it will be Hale, Kenzi and I versus Vex, Dyson and Tamsin? That's fair game."

Ciara suddenly appears. "What are you talking about?" She puts the glasses on the table.

"Basketball." Vex replies.

"Ugh basketball."

"We have a plan to go to Boston or New York if a game versus Lakers will come up this coming season. You will be coming of course because Dyson will come." Vex tells her.

"Sure. Lauren and I will just watch all of you cheer loudly until your voices fade." She chuckles.

"We'll bring the popcorn." Lauren answers back.

"What, the two of you will be fence sitters? No way! You need to choose a side." Vex demands.

"What side? The Light or the Dark? Unaligned? Anyone?" Lauren laughs at herself then seriously declares, "Of course Ciara will be on Dyson's side. So to be fair, I will be on Bo's side. Satisfied Vex?"

Vex's eyes widen. "You'll be taking their side?" His hand points at Bo and Hale.

"To be fair right? Ciara will always side with Dyson. Vex, it's fair. It's just a matter of having the equal number of people on each side." Lauren gestures with her hands.

Vex crosses his arms across his chest. "Fine." He looks at Bo. "As soon as the season starts and there's a game between Lakers and Knicks or Lakers and Celtics, we'll go watch live okay?"

"Of course, we are going to look at the schedule then we decide. Fair enough Vex?" Bo winks at him.

"Be thankful that I like you Officer Dennis. But now that I know you're a Celtics fan... I may change my mind."

"C'mon, you love the challenge. And besides, you know that not all the people in America love the Lakers." The brunette notes matter-of-factly.

"I agree. But if you will force me, I will actually admit that I love the Heat." Ciara quips.

Vex's jaw drops. "Really?"

"I love the Bulls." Lauren interjects.

"What? Seriously?" Bo raises her eyebrow.

"Yeah. Of course, the Bulls of Michael Jordan era. Not now. That's why I stopped watching NBA. No Michael Jordan. No Toni Kukoc." The doctor says the last name in a small voice.

"Say that again."

"No Toni Kukoc."

"Huh!" Bo frowns.

"Oh yeah, Lo loves Toni Kukoc." Vex announces, teasing the doctor. "Why do you like him so much?"

"His three-point shots and assists."

"And he's good-looking huh. Right Lo?"

"Right." Lauren glances at Bo and notices that she's still frowning.

"Doc, you don't need Toni Kukoc if you're just looking at three-point and assist stats. Add the good-looking part. My partner here..." Hale points at his partner. "... is the epitome of all that."

"Hale..." Bo shakes her head.

"Bo, you should be proud of the records you made in your basketball career! Hell, if I were you... man! You were a better player than me."

The brunette shakes her head. "That's not true Hale. We played different positions. We can't possibly compare that."

"Wait a minute... I'm curious." Vex puts up his hand. "Hale, do me a favor. Please tell."

"My partner here played for the John Jay Bloodhounds as a point guard. John Jay College is member of CUNYAC. That's City University of New York Athletic Conference NCAA Division III. She played from 1997 to 2001. She was the Rookie of the Year in 1997-1998 season when she led the Bloodhounds to their first championship appearance in years. But they lost it to City College of New York. The same happened the next season. The Bloodhounds and the Beavers became rivals. Bo was a member of the All-Tournament Team in her sophomore year. Everything changed when the 1999-2000 season came. The Bloodhounds, led by their team captain and junior star player who won the Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player, got the championship. It was the first championship for the JJC Women's Basketball Team ever." Hale looks at his partner who is currently very interested in her fingers on her lap. "The same happened the next year and their team captain happened to win the Athlete of the Year and her second Player of the Year and MVP awards."

"Wow." Vex looks at Bo.

"In her rookie year, she led the Bloodhounds in assists per game, steals per game and three-point percentage made. The same happened in her sophomore year. When she became a junior, she already led her team in points per game. The same thing happened on her last year as a player. She still holds the record in points averaging 22.7 per game."

"Finished Hale?" Bo asks, trying hard to suppress her irritation at her partner.

"Yeah I'm done. I'm sorry..." He looks at Vex. "... I can't remember her stats in assists, steals and three-point percentage. But what I remember is that her three-point percentage was above 50%."

"Wow, you are absolutely an outstanding basketball player!" Vex stares at Bo.

"Not really."

"Still humble despite of all those accolades. There's a reason why I like you Officer Dennis." He smiles at her.

"Thank you."

"That's quite an achievement Bo." Ciara notes.

"Thank you."

Vex is looking at Lauren staring at Bo with unguarded look of pride, a look someone will give to a significant other. He smiles widely, noting that the brunette officer is still looking down at her lap.

"Bo..." Lauren starts.

Bo looks up when she hears the doctor call her name.

"You should be proud of your achievements. Being a varsity player and excel like that... it is amazing. You obviously worked hard for it. And because of that, you deserved all of the awards. They were not given to you just because you were there but because you successfully made it happen."

The officer gulps the lump in her throat and says, "Thank you Lauren."

"You're welcome." The doctor suddenly looks at Vex. "Look at Vex."

"Me? And why?"

"He doesn't look like former varsity swimmer right?" Lauren laughs out loud.

"Seriously Lo? You're going to talk about this now?"

"What? I'm not going to talk about that." The doctor bits her lip innocently.

"Awww I'm not going to talk about that." Vex mimics Lauren's voice. "Well let's talk about your wardrobe malfunction at the... hmpf!" The doctor jumps up and covers Vex's mouth.

Bo chuckles at the doctor and her best friend's back and forth ribbing.

Hales speaks up. "What about the wardrobe malfunction?"

"Hale!" Bo elbows her partner, not believing what she heard from her partner.

"Oh sorry sorry. I'm just curious!" He puts both of his hands defensively. "I'm so sorry Doc." He looks at Lauren.

Lauren smiles at him. "It's okay Hale, no harm done. Vex is just exhibiting his usual naughty self. And besides, that's not a wardrobe malfunction. How can it be when... oh! I better keep my mouth shut."

Vex just laughs and laughs.

"Vex stop it or else... I'll tell them about that one time you went to the comfort room and you..."

"Okay stop. Truce Lo! Please... I'll just shut up."

Lauren smiles smugly and glances at Bo. She notices how intense the stare Bo is giving her. She is not for ready for it so she unconsciously bits her lip, smiles at the brunette a little bit longer than she intends to and looks away.

Hale looks at Ciara, "What about you Doc?"

"What? Did I experience a wardrobe malfunction?" Ciara laughs. Hale's face reddens. "No, I am not a college varsity player. But I was the head cheerleader when I was in high school."

"Right. You and Dyson really fit. The jock and the cheerleader." Vex teases Ciara.

"Of course. At least not the swimmer and the cheerleader." Ciara quips.

"And what do you mean by that?" Vex crosses his arms across his chest.

"Uh nothing." Her phone rings. "Wow saved by the bell." The doctor hurriedly goes out of the living room.

"What does she mean by that?" Vex repeats the question.

Lauren looks at Bo. Bo shakes her head and sighs.

"She means nothing Vex. Don't mind her. I think she's quite agitated. Dyson has been calling her all night long." The doctor speculates.

"How did you know that?"

"I received a call from Dyson earlier. He will visit next month."

He just nods and looks away.

Hale frowns and sits beside Bo on the couch. "What's going on?" He whispers to her.

"I don't know." She whispers back. She looks at Lauren. "Is he okay?"

"No. I know he's thinking about what Ciara says. And when he goes silent like that, I know he's pulling something from the past and contemplating hard about it."

"Maybe you should distract him a little bit so he could pull out from what he's thinking." Bo suggests.

"You're right." The doctor walks towards her best friend. "Vex... Vex..." He doesn't even flinch. "Vaugh..." Lauren says his name a little bit louder.

"Oh hey!" He exhales a deep breath. He then glances at the two officers. "Sorry about that. My attention momentarily flies into oblivion but I'm back."

"Hale and I are leaving now Vex. It's late and we all should rest because..." She looks at her watch. "... well it only 15 minutes away from tomorrow so later will be a big day." She smiles widely. "I will see the three of you at the house tomorrow okay? Vex, you already know where the house is right?"

Vex nods. "I'll drive us tomorrow there Bo. Thank you for inviting us. I can't wait to see Trick again. Don't worry about the cake okay?"

"Okay." She scans the living room. "Where's Ciara? We would like to say goodnight to her."

"Maybe still talking to Dyson. She'll live." Vex mutters.

Lauren sighs. "Don't worry, I'll tell her."

Hale walk towards the doctor. "Doc, I'll see tomorrow at Trick's party okay?" He encircles his arms into her shoulder and gives her a side hug.

The doctor looks up to him and smiles. "Okay. You'll be driving?"

"No. Bo will drop me at the house. Right partner?" He and the doctor walks towards the door, his arms still across her shoulder.

Bo sees Hale's arm around Lauren and rolls her eyes. Vex notices and laughs. "Don't worry Bo, I'm here." He mimics Hale's action and guides the brunette officer to the door. Bo punches his arm and shakes her head.

"C'mon Bo, lighten up. It's just a side hug, nothing else." Vex pouts. "It's harmless."

The pairs walk towards the truck comfortably with each other's company. When they reach the sugar maple tree, Vex stops. "Bo, say your goodnights to Lo. Say your sweet nothings. We will not look." He covers his eyes. Hale follows him.

Bo groans. Vex is making this hard. But she has to say goodbye for now. Last night was a disaster for her so she needs to compensate, of course for her own sake and sanity. She walks towards the doctor and stops right in front of her. She looks at her soft brown eyes. She speaks up before she loses herself into those brown orbs. "Lauren, I'll see you later okay? I would like to thank you for tonight. It really touches my heart that you shared so much of yourself to me. And how you comforted me when I needed it. I think that's all." She looks down shyly and chuckles.

Lauren smiles and touches Bo's cheek. "Look at me please." The brunette immediately looks up. "I want to thank you for listening to me all night. No one has ever given me that much freedom to talk endlessly. It really warms my heart Bo." She puts down her hand slowly. "Drive safely please. Text me as soon as you arrive at your house okay?"

Bo grins. "Okay." She breaths deeply and closes her eyes. "Can I... can I hug you?"

Vex and Hale stand straight when they heard the brunette's question. The shorter man opens his fingers that cover his eyes while the taller one removes his hand.

"Open your eyes Bo." The officer open her eyes and is immediately engulfed into a hug. She reacts fast and puts her arms around the doctor's waist and pulls her closer. When she feels Lauren's arms around her back, she breathes deeply and puts her chin on the doctor's shoulder.

The two men bump their closed fists and smile widely.

Lauren melts into the embrace. All she can think of is how sweet Bo smell and how close her body is to hers. She knows it will end soon so she indulges herself and further leans into the other woman's body. After a few beats, she becomes aware of the two pairs of eyes that are looking at them. She knows that they need to end this warm cocoon they created so she clears her throat and utters the brunette's name. "Bo..."

"Hmm..."

"They are looking at us."

"Who?"

"Vex and Hale."

"Let them..."

She can't help herself but laugh and punch Bo lightly at the shoulder. "Bo..."

Bo joins in her laughter then utters the doctor's name sweetly into her ear. "Lauren..." She then dares herself to do what she thinks is a very brave move. Before she changes her mind, she closes her eyes and brushes her lips softly against the doctor's temple. She leans back slowly, looking at the doctor, challenging her. _The ball is in your court, baby._ She winks.

The doctor's brain starts to freeze when she feels Bo's lips and her eyes stares at the officer unblinkingly. She jerks into consciousness when Vex taps her shoulder. She didn't notice that Bo already eases out of the embrace.

 _Oh shit I was completely out of it!_ She closes her eyes and breathes deeply to center herself. She feels much better when Vex encircles his arm around her shoulder. When she opens her eyes, the partners are already inside the truck.

Hale waves his hand goodbye as Bo adjusts her seat, keys the engine and looks at Vex and Lauren with a smirk on her face.

Vex hollers, "Bye guys. Drive safely." He points at Bo. "Look at what you have done. I think she's still out of it. You little devil..." He laughs contemptuously. "Maybe you have to kiss her again..."

When Lauren heard the word 'kiss', she speaks up. "Oh no, it's okay. I'm okay Bo. Just... just drive safely."

"Okay Lauren, see you later." She smiles her patented bedimpled smile. "Vex..." She narrows her eyes.

Vex points V-sign fingers to his eyes then to Bo. "I'm watching you." He mouths.

Bo's laughter is heard as the roar of the truck's engine fades into the night.

 **LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG=LG**

 **Room 409**

 **Yale New Haven Hospital**

"So what are you going to tell me Miranda?" Nadia asks.

The nurse swallows and clears her throat. "Please Nadia, hear me out first before you react okay?" The patient nods. "You know that I'm from New York and my father died while I was only 11 years old. My mother raised us the way she could. What you don't know is that among their five children, I was the only one who persevered and finished college. These past few years, they all went to me whenever there's trouble, especially if they needed money. They knew that I am nurse here in Yale Hospital and they thought I am earning that much but I'm not. But I can't tell them that. I'm the only one they can count on. So I needed to earn money outside this job."

"And what side job is that?" Nadia asks, raises her eyebrow.

"I sell information."

Nadia frowns. "Information? Don't tell me you're selling information about the patients here? Mir, you know about HIPAA."

"Please let me finish. And to be clear, I'm not selling patient information Nadia. I love my job here. What I do on the side has nothing to do with our patients. Someone will hire me, someone who wants information about a person. We will talk about my fee. I also demand an allowance. I work hard and fast. They will pay me as soon as I give them the information they want."

"Okay. But what if the information they want is about a patient?"

"I already told you. I'm not doing that."

"But how can you be so sure? We admit lots of patients in this hospital."

"Before I accept a job, I make sure of it." Nadia shakes her head. "Okay. I act alone Nadia. There's no conspiracy. I don't have any snitch in the medical records department okay? And I don't do my jobs that way. I'm not a computer savvy. I have other methods."

"When did you start doing it?"

"I was already doing it before I came here."

"So I can conclude that you are already an expert."

"Yes."

"So why are you telling me all of these?"

"Last year before Christmas, a man approached me here in the hospital. He said he wanted information about a woman. He didn't say what his relationship with the woman was but he was very clear that he wanted me to know her friends, her whereabouts and who she's with all the time. He was very generous. He said if I yield results fast, he will employ me for the rest of the year." The nurse breathes deeply. "When he told me the name of the woman he wanted me to spy on, I hesitated. But I badly needed the money. One of my brothers was jailed because of some misdemeanor charges. He needed bail money. If I didn't give him the money, he will be jailed and my mother will be devastated."

"Who was the woman the man wanted you to spy on?"

"It was you." The nurse says in a small voice.

"What? Say that again?"

"It was you."

"What the hell!" Nadia exclaims. "I can't believe this. So that's the reason why you started sleeping with me huh? Fuck! I thought…" She puts her hands on her head. She suddenly slams her hand on the bed and says, "So that's your method? You seduce the person your client wanted you to spy on and sleep with him or her?"

Miranda stands from the chair and starts walking towards Nadia. "Nadia…"

"Don't come near me. I swear… fuck!"

"Nadia, I'm so sorry." The nurse's voice quivers. She starts crying. "You were a job for me at first but lately, I am…"

"Please don't continue that statement because from now on, I won't believe anything you will say to me. Fuck!" Nadia interjects. "Now… tell me the name of the man who hired you. Tell me!"

"It was your husband, Percy Saunders."

"You're my husband's spy?" Nadia asks incredulously. "What the fuck!" Her face reddens from anger. "How much did my dear husband pay you to whore yourself huh?" She points her finger to Miranda. "You… get out of my room. I don't want to see you again. Get out of my life Miranda Hamilton!"

"Please forgive me Nadia. I love you! I'm so sorry!" The nurse cries, her hands covers her face.

"Go away please!" Nadia orders the nurse. "Go now! I don't want to hear your voice ever again. And I don't want to see your face ever again! Do you understand? I will tell Dr. Holland to remove my room from your rotation."

Miranda stops crying and looks at Nadia. "Okay I hear you Nadia. I know that I hurt you. But I just want to tell you that every time I was with you, it always felt right. I fell hard for you. That is why I am telling you all of these. If this means goodbye, then this is it. Goodbye Nadia." Her voice cracks. She walks towards the door. "I love you very much. Take care of yourself." She opens the door and walks through it.

Nadia looks at the redhead's retreating back. When she heard the door click, she lets the tears she suppressed fall down on her face.

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 **Downtown New Haven**

It's already 12:30 in the morning when Bo enters her house. She dropped Hale at the front of his house. This was after a good ribbing from her partner about the kiss she unleashed on the doctor. She smiled thinking of that. But it was just a soft kiss on the temple, nothing else. It was an innocent kiss. She just wanted to be a little bit affectionate.

She's very tired but it was all worth it because she and Hale accomplished a lot today regarding the case and she spent a lot of quality time with Lauren. She smiles at the thought of Lauren. It is like they are making up for the lost time. She can't remember having a long conversation with another person whom she just met and feeling comfortable to share things with each other. _Maybe that's what a true connection means. Not just chemistry and spark, but an open communication with each other._ She's still smiling and thinking of her dear doctor when she hears Kenzi calling her.

"Bo, is that already you?"

"Yes it's me Kenz."

"Wow you're all smiley and all. Had a good night with the doctor?" Kenzi sits in the couch.

"Yes, I had a good night not just with Lauren but with Vex, Ciara and Hale. We talked about the case among other things." Bo walks towards the couch and sits beside the younger woman.

"Then that's good. Meeting new friends is good for you Bo."

"It will also be good for you Kenz because I invited them for Pops' birthday. Apparently, Vex is a regular customer of The Dahl and is friends with Pops. I think that's the reason why Pops said that Lauren's name was familiar to him. Vex had told Pops about her. She actually went to The Dahl one time to meet him but Pops was in Ireland that time."

"Wow! Already introducing the future granddaughter-in-law to Pops? Isn't it too early for that?" Kenzi laughs.

"Ha ha! Too early! And there's nothing wrong with that, Pops knowing Lauren."

"Of course. I'm happy for you. It looks like you two really have strong connection Bo. And I want to see it with my own eyes. Good thing you invited them. I'm excited to meet Lauren."

"Thank you for the support Kenz." Bo loops her right arm on her best friend's shoulder. "By the way, they will bring Pops' cake. I told them not to bring anything but they insisted."

"They will buy Pops a cake? That's very generous."

"No. Lauren and Vex will bake a cake for Pops." Bo corrects Kenzi.

"What? Your doctor bakes?"

"And cooks." Bo adds.

"Wow! Really?" Bo nods. "Then marry her already!" Kenzi exclaims. "Just imagine all the food she can cook and bake for you! Nom nom nom!"

"Silly! Well she really is amazing!" Bo says dreamily.

Kenzi notices something yellow is sticking out of Bo's side pocket. "What's that?"

"Oh this?" Bo takes out the sugar maple leaf from her pocket. "Lauren gave this to me. This is a sugar maple leaf. As you can see, it was a perfectly colored leaf in autumn. It's yellow from the stem up to the lower part of the leaf while the rest of the leaf the colors orange and red are distributed evenly. According to Lauren, when autumn comes leaves are susceptible to change their colors because of the absence of sunlight. The absence of sunlight means the absence of chlorophyll and chlorophyll makes the leaves green. When a leaf turns to yellow, then orange to red and finally to brown, that's the time it will fall from the tree."

Kenzi's eyes glaze from Bo's lecture. She recovers quickly and laughs. "Seriously? You talked about that?"

Bo smiles widely. "Autumn is one of Lauren's favorite seasons. She talked about her childhood and how she observed trees during this season. She was specifically captivated with how the leaves changed their colors."

"How sweet and romantic! A sugar maple leaf for the first gift… what's next? Engagement ring?"

"Kenzi… don't be ridiculous!" Bo slaps the younger brunette's left arm and her face becomes serious. "I… just love her." She looks down at her lap.

The younger woman turns her head to fully face Bo at the couch. "So you're not hiding your feelings anymore?"

"Not from you or Tamsin or Hale or Pops." Bo looks up and smiles at her best friend.

"Then that's good Bobo. It's not good hiding things especially when strong emotions are involved." She looks intently at her best friend. "What made you decide to be open with your feelings for her?"

"Just to be clear, I'm now open with my feelings for her with you, Tamsin, Hale and Pops. Me, being open with my feelings is not for everyone understood?"

"I got yah sistah! So what made you decide? C'mon spill."

"Nothing special Kenz. I just don't want to deny it anymore. That's it."

"But you worry." The smaller woman scans her best friend's face.

"Yeah I do."

"About what?"

"What if she won't love me back? She's a doctor and I'm just a police officer. Surely she will find..."

"Wait!" Kenzi interrupts Bo's litany. "Where is this coming from? Bo, you were so happy a while ago... now it's like someone stole your favorite toy. I didn't know you have inferiority complex!" She stands up and places her hands on her waist, her mouth wide open in shock.

Bo sighs. "I don't have inferiority complex!" She closes her eyes.

"Oh really?" She answers mockingly. "If we're going to analyze your previous statement, you were asking what if she won't love you back. Are you serious? Yes, you spent the past two nights with each other's company. But Bo, it's only two nights. Give yourselves some breathing room. Get back to me in a few months." She sits again and lowers her voice. "And then you belittle your job! You said you love being a cop but now..."

The officer looks away and bites her lip.

"What's going on Bo? Talk to me! This is not about Lauren, isn't it?" Realization dawns on the younger woman. "This is about your mom. Am I right Bo?"

Bo just nods, fighting the lump in her throat and trying hard not to cry.

"Oh Bo, don't cry! Your mom was delusional to leave you when you were also hurting. I just can't believe that a mother can do that to her child." Kenzi's voice is incredulous.

"Well believe it. It's already 4 years... she's there somewhere and enjoying herself while I'm here and still picking up the pieces." She sniffs.

The younger woman walks towards her and loops her arms around her best friend. Bo returns the gesture. "Well it's her loss."

"Her loss?" The older woman leans back to look at Kenzi.

"Yeah. If she's here, she'll be a witness to her daughter's journey to being a good policewoman, her friendship and budding romance to a beautiful doctor..." She winks.

"Speaking of the beautiful doctor... she actually saw me crying earlier."

"What? You already spilled your guts out to Lauren? What did you tell her?"

"No, no I haven't told her anything. I just lost it for a moment when she told me about her grandparents and it got me thinking about Pops and Moms, especially when I remembered it's Pops birthday today. My tears betrayed me and I cried in front her. She comforted me with a hug. It's embarrassing."

"Your tears betrayed you?" Kenzi laughs. "Or you just did it to score a hug from the good doctor?"

"Of course not. You know I'm not like that." Bo punches Kenzi's arm.

"I know, I'm just teasing you." Kenzi reaches out for her best friend's hand. "Bo, not everyone will leave you okay? I'm here... Tamsin and Hale are also here for you. Then there's Pops. He won't leave you." She squeezes Bo's hand. "And don't count Lauren out yet. And her friends. They will know the real you and they will stay. They will love you. You'll see."

"Okay, I'll keep that in mind. And thank you for always being here for me." The older brunette smiles. She then walk towards the kitchen and glances momentarily to the staircase leading up to their rooms. "Did Pops already start transferring his things in his old room?"

"Yes he did." Kenzi sits in the couch. "Bruce and Steve helped him carry his things." She then sees the older brunette open the refrigerator. "What, you're hungry again? I thought your doctor already fed you."

"Oh the pasta, pizza and pies that she fed us already left my stomach. I think they were already in my small intestines." Bo rubs her stomach. "But yeah, I'll just drink a couple of beers then I'll rest. Big day later for Pops." She returns to the couch, carrying two bottles of her favorite draft. "You like?" She offers the younger woman.

"No I'm okay. I just drank a couple of shots from the bar a while ago and they were still lingering here in my gut."

Bo opens the first bottle, gulps an ample amount of the brew and turns to Kenzi. "So how are you and Nate?"

"We're fine. He's good for me. We kind of agree to take it slow because we're still young." She smiles.

"Good." Bo glances at her best friend. "What about you and Hale?"

"Me and Hale?"

"Yeah. You're friends right?"

"And he's your partner. Ask him."

"Well I already asked him."

"And?"

"And he said you're okay."

"Then we're okay.

"Seriously Kenzi? Now you're the one who's being avoidy." Bo uses Kenzi's word against her.

"Haha! Honestly? Our friendship hits a snag. He's suddenly... not there." Kenzi shrugs.

"He's just busy Kenzi. The case is taking up his time."

"What? He's still working on the case while he's at home? I don't think so."

Bo sighs. "Kenzi... I think you know why." She leans forward and looks straight to her best friend's eyes. "You're one of the most perceptive people I know."

"Yeah." Kenzi's shoulders slump. "And Nate is kinda jealous of him. So maybe this is better... you know, the distance between us."

"But you are his friend Kenz! You can't just abandon that friendship."

"Just this time Bo. Nate and I just need some time together and be secured with each other. My friendship with Hale blurs the line sometimes so... you understand right?"

Bo sighs and nods. "Okay." She thinks for a moment. "Have you told him about you and Nate?"

Kenzi shakes her head. "No. I don't know how to tell him."

"But did Hale already tell you how he feels for you? I mean did he already confess?"

"Not vocally. I mean, he dropped hints and clues but not straightforward. But I didn't need that Bo. So I didn't assume." She sighs. "Nate... Nate told me he loves me on my face. He told me ages ago. He waited so I finally told him I love him back a month ago." Kenzi smiles sadly.

"Damn Hale!"

"He will be here later?"

"Oh yes! But I have to warn you. He appears to be clueless Kenzi so I don't know how he will react if he will finally realize that you and Nate are together."

"That's okay. I'll talk to him."

"You need to seek his attention fast. He seems to latch himself into Vex. They seem to find themselves 'brothers' in such a short time. And he develops a small crush on Lauren." She frowns.

"What? Are you kidding? And you're okay with that?"

"Yup. You know Hale is harmless Kenzi. He's loyal and he assured me that it's just a tiny..." She parts her thumb and forefinger. "... crush and nothing else." She finishes her first bottle and opens the other one.

Kenzi raises her eyebrow.

"It's okay Kenzi..." Bo laughs. "...it's just nice that he enjoys Vex and Lauren's company. Ciara too."

"Who's Ciara?"

"Well she'll be here later too. She's also a doctor, housemate of Lauren and Vex, girlfriend of Lauren's cousin and best friend Dyson. Dyson, whom I talked to earlier about being a cop and was calling Lauren cupcake and her calling him muffin. Funny that, I just finished crying about Moms and then being hugged by Lauren, suddenly I was being questioned if I was happy about my job." Her voice becomes a little bit louder and skeptical. "And here I was earlier, wondering if she going to love me or not because Vex unconsciously told us the story of Lauren's childhood friend confessing her love for her and Lauren rejecting her. Then I was told I have inferiority complex and in return I told you that my partner has a crush on the reluctant heiress. Hale, then told all of them about my sterling career as a college basketball player without my permission and I agreed to watch a basketball game with a group of crazy Lakers fans. While my mom is somewhere else, gallivanting and not a care in the world. Then after saying my goodbyes to my doctor, I kissed her!" She then raise the bottle to her mouth and finishes it in one go. She put the bottle on the table with a thud.

"Whoa whoa time out! That's a loaded rant!"

Bo goes to the kitchen to put the bottles into the trash bin. Without looking back at her best friend, she starts climbing the stairs leading to her room.

"Hey! I'm still talking to you!" Kenzi follows the older brunette up the stairs.

She sighs. "I'm tired and sleepy Kenz. I'll just talk about my 'loaded rant' later in the morning!" She suddenly stops and taps her forehead. "Oh shit, I forgot to send a text." She retrieves her phone from front pocket and starts typing.

"Huh you have time to text but you don't have time to talk to me."

"Sending a text exerts less energy and effort than talking to you about my rant. So goodnight... err good morning Kenzi. I love you but I need to sleep." Bo walks into her room and closes the door.

Kenzi's mouth is still open when Tamsin enters the front door.

"Kenz, is Bo already here?"

The younger brunette just stands on the top of the stairs, her mind still reeling from Bo's rant. "Too much information." She said to herself and shakes her head.

Tamsin frowns when Kenzi doesn't acknowledge her presence. She climbs the stairs and stops behind her best friend. "Hey!" She slaps Kenzi's back.

"Fuck Tamsin, that hurts!"

"Well I've been calling your name and you seem to be in shock. What happened?"

Kenzi shakes her head. "It's all fucked up!" She sighs. "Well I just want to tell you before I retire to my room, Lauren will be here later. Bo invited her and her friends to Pops' birthday."

"Whoa really? So we will finally meet her?"

"Yup. Go to sleep Tamsin. I'm going to my room now. We'll be busy later."

"Uhm I stopped by just to take a shower and change clothes. I'm meeting someone."

Kenzi rolls her eyes. "Okay enjoy." She marches to her room and immediately closes the door.

"Oh I plan to." Tamsin grins wickedly.

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 **Yale New Haven Hospital**

Miranda Hamilton hurriedly walks through the hospital lobby, tears falling down her face. She badly wants to run, run out of the hospital, of New Haven, of Connecticut but she can't right now. She needs to somewhat make this right for Nadia. _Yes for Nadia. I need to do this for her._ She quietly slips inside the comfort room. She goes in front of a mirror and wipes the tears from her face. She then opens the faucet and washes her face. _I should be okay until my shift ends. After_ _that, I need to plan what I'm going to do._

Still standing in front of the mirror she looks at herself, really look at herself. Yes she is good-looking, beautiful even – long red hair, pale skin, radiant blue eyes, red lips. She always turns heads whenever she's walking down the street. She's very conspicuous, noticeable. Now, she needs to change that. _I need to lose the red hair and the blue eyes. Cut the hair short, color it to dark brown. Same with the eyes. Okay, but shit how will I explain the changes to my boss? Uh, change of lifestyle? Fuck yes! That would be true!_ She put her hands on the sink, still looking at the mirror. She's imagining how she will look like after the changes. _Maybe not that bad._ She looks at her watch. _Eight hours to go. It will be a long night._ She hurriedly gets out of the comfort room and walks towards the nurses' station.

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 **Westville New Haven**

Bo's truck is already long gone but Lauren and Vex remain standing beside the sugar maple tree.

"Lo, what are you thinking about?"

"I am trying to process all of it."

"All of it?"

"Tonight was eventful, wasn't it? Lots of things to think about."

"Aha! I know the first thing you're thinking about... the kiss!" Vex bumps his shoulder to his best friend's shoulder.

"What? Of course not!"

"Really? I know you're lying Lo!"

"Fine! I am thinking about it."

"But why? It was just a kiss on the side of your head. No biggie!"

"Well it is for me."

Vex stares at the doctor and asks, "Why?"

"I've been always kissed on the lips the first time, may it be a peck or full mouth kiss. I may have felt a slight feeling akin to excitement once or twice. But this one, it was just a slight brush of lips but..."

"But..."

"The kiss was mere seconds but it made my heart race, felt butterflies in my stomach and I can't get over it until now... I can feel the emotions that were poured into it..." Lauren's voice wavers. "I can't understand... I felt I was thralled..."

"Thralled?" Vex laughs. "What? Bo has a superpower that we don't know?"

The doctor grins. "Maybe..." Her face becomes serious. "She's amazing Vex... and beautiful... breathtaking... intense..."

"And..."

"I am smitten Vex, definitely and absolutely smitten." She smiles shyly.

Vex's jaw drops. "Oh my God... is this for real?"

"Why are you so shocked?"

"You're being vocal and so sure of your feelings. It's definitely a breath of fresh air. Are you okay?" His brows furrow.

"I'm okay, better even." Laughter bubbles from the doctor's throat. She reaches out to her best friend and holds his hands. "And well, we are all alone here now so it's not like I'm announcing it to the world right?" She tugs his hands and looks up to him. "I have a favor to ask of you though."

"Name it."

"Can we keep this to ourselves, for now?"

"No problem Lo." He opens his arms. "Come here and give me a hug." The doctor hurriedly encircles her arm around Vex. He blows a breath and sways them in place. "So what are you going to do now?"

"About?"

"About what you feel about her."

"I don't know... nothing for now... I guess, I'll enjoy the company and the friendship." She leans back from the hug to look at Vex. "It's only been two days you know. I want to know more about her, of course..."

"Well that's good... but what if there will come a time that she will date someone else and not you?"

"Then I'm not the heart breaker anymore." The doctor smiles and looks away.

Vex narrows his eyes. "Nah, I won't let that happen to you again Lo."

"You can't promise me that Vex. You can't always fight my battles for me. Besides, we can't predict what will happen in the future right? If we could, then maybe we had avoided all those heartaches a long time ago." She smiles sadly.

Vex comes to her side and puts his hands inside his pockets. They both look up in the sky. Both are lost in their own thoughts, thinking about past heartaches maybe? After a minute or two, Vex breaks the silence and clears his throat. "Lo, it's getting cold. We should go inside and start preparing for the night. I'm a bit exhausted. We'll just have to wake up early."

"I agree. Let's go." She starts to walk towards the house. Then he follows. Before he enters the door he utters, "... the trees are saying goodbye to their green, letting go of what has been. We, too, have our moments of surrender, with all their insecurity and risk. Help us to let go when we need to do so..."

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 **Author's Note: Next chapter will be Trick's birthday. Read and review. Thanks in advance.**


	13. Chapter 13 - Fall 2006

**Author's Note: Before my story, can I just shout for joy?! I loooooove Clexacon 2018! A Doccubus proposal? I was working when I looked at Twitter and lo and behold, our beloved Zoie Palmer was kneeling before Anna Silk! My head exploded! Lauren proposed to Bo and Bo said YES! My Doccubus heart sang an aria! My smile got bigger and bigger and can't stop myself, I giggled and squealed (if you know me, I'm not that kind of girl hahaha!), my officemates were shocked lols! Doccubus is on the rise! And then they will be both in Wynonna Earp on Season 3! I love my OTP! So enough of that for now. I know I really suck at updating but I'm here now. Thank you for hanging on to this story. Real life intervened.**

 **Disclaimer: I still don't own Lost Girl. I just want to use them for my story.**

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 **Chapter Thirteen**

Truth to be told, contrary to what she told Kenzi, Bo is not tired and sleepy. She suddenly wants to be alone. But she doesn't want to think. Thinking about 'things' will lead to emotions and feelings and she doesn't want to dwell on them now. Proof is the small meltdown that she experienced downstairs earlier. How would I explain that to Kenzi? I need to do something. Well, I need to change my clothes first. She removes her clothes, her ankle holster and change into a JJC Bloodhounds shirt and JJC jersey shorts. She then put her gun inside the gun safe.

"So what I can do now? I don't want to think about the case. I don't want to think about my mother because I will think about my father. I don't want to think about Pops because I will think about my grandmother. Sucks to be you Ysabeau." She throws herself on the bed, covering her eyes with her arms. All of a sudden, an idea comes into her mind. "Excellent idea Ysabeau!" She walks towards her Comet Center desk and sits on the stool that comes with it. She looks at her newly purchased art desk. It is neat and not too pricey. She bought it because she thought that it's time to indulge on her other hobby which is drawing. She's now focusing on drawing realistic eyes, then after that the whole face.

She opens the topmost drawer and pulls out her drawing pad. She is contemplating if she will use a regular pencil or the colored ones. And then she thinks of Lauren and her eyes. "Well I have to use them both." She opens the bottom drawer and stare at the different boxes of colored pencils that she owns. She looks at the brands. She knows what each box of colored pencils can do on her drawing so she picks the box that she thinks will do justice on her new project. Buying these boxes of colored pencils is not a whim or an impulse. Two of these boxes are actually splurges but what the heck, she deserves it. She's actually eyeing to buy another famous brand of colored pencils but they are a bit of luxury so maybe she can wish for it on her birthday. She smiles and closes her eyes. She thinks that since she's starting all over again, she needs to use the basics. She sighs, pulling out the box of her basic graphite pencils. She pulls out a pencil and opens her drawing pad. Then she starts imagining Lauren's eyes. She shakes her head, imagination is not enough. She needs a picture of the doctor. She searches for her cellphone, thinking about the picture of Lauren that Kenzi pulled out from the university website. She can start from that. Good thing she asked Kenzi to send the picture to her. Opening it from her cellphone, she smiles at how young and adorable the blonde doctor looked when the picture was taken. Bo enlarges the part of the eyes then starts tracing in her drawing pad. She then stops momentarily and reaches out for her iPod. Music will help her get into the groove. She scrolls her playlist and chooses a song that she started listening to regularly in the past year.

She closes her eyes when the familiar notes of the song ascends. Then suddenly, the deep and breathy voice of Dave Matthews takes over.

She temporarily stopped drawing when she was on her fifth year in JJC. School and family issues were forefront of her mind those days so she grudgingly set it aside. Then after she graduated, she went ahead and conquered the policy academy. Now that she's permanently on the job as a police officer, she thought she needed to go back and draw again. It will be some kind of sanctuary after a grueling day at the police station. She knows she is good at it but she needs to be very good. So she decided to focus on drawing the eyes.

 _ **Crazy how it feels tonight**_

 _ **Crazy how you make it all alright love**_

 _ **You crush me with the things you do**_

 _ **I do for you anything too**_

 _ **Sitting smoking feeling high**_

 _ **In this moment if feels so right**_

 _ **Lovely lady**_

 _ **I am at your feet**_

 _ **God I want you so badly**_

 _ **I wonder this**_

 _ **Could tomorrow be**_

 _ **So wondrous as you there sleeping**_

 _ **Let's go drive 'till morning comes**_

 _ **Watch the sunrise to fill our souls up**_

 _ **Drink some wine 'till we get drunk**_

 _ **It's crazy I'm thinking**_

 _ **Just knowing that the world is round**_

 _ **Here I'm dancing on the ground**_

 _ **Am I right side up or upside down**_

 _ **Is this real or am I dreaming**_

This song has been Bo's favorite since she heard it a few years ago but she has been listening to it more frequently since she met Lauren. She had a dream once dancing to this song with Lauren. This happened a few weeks after their first meet-up. It was so real and vivid, it made her smile for a week. From that time on, she thought of the doctor when listening to the song. Maybe someday I can persuade her to dance with me while listening to this song. But now, all she can do is imagine and use it as an inspiration to draw.

 _ **Lovely lady**_

 _ **Let me drink you please**_

 _ **I won't spill a drop I promise you**_

 _ **Lying under this spell you cast on me**_

 _ **Each moment**_

 _ **The more I love you**_

 _ **Crush me**_

 _ **Come on**_

 _ **It's crazy I'm thinking**_

 _ **Just knowing that the world is round**_

 _ **Here I'm dancing on the ground**_

 _ **Am I right side up or upside down**_

 _ **Is it real or am I dreaming**_

 _ **Lovely lady**_

 _ **I will treat you sweetly**_

 _ **Adore you I mean you crush me**_

 _ **It's times like these**_

 _ **When my faith I feel**_

 _ **And I know how I love you**_

 _ **Come on**_

 _ **Lady**_

 _ **It's crazy I'm thinking**_

 _ **Just as long as you're around**_

 _ **And here I'll be dancing on the ground**_

 _ **Am I right side up or upside down**_

 _ **To each other we'll be facing**_

 _ **By love we'll beat back the pain we've found**_

 _ **You know**_

 _ **I mean to tell you all the things I've been thinking deep inside**_

 _ **My friend**_

 _ **With each moment the more I love you**_

 _ **Crush me**_

 _ **Come on**_

 _ **So much you have given love**_

 _ **That I would give you back again and again**_

 _ **Meaning I'll hold you**_

 _ **And please let me always**_

She put the song in loop until she finished what she's aiming for – to draw a set of eyes, specifically Lauren's. She stares at her drawing and nods satisfactorily. Not bad for her first attempt of drawing again. Tomorrow, she will use colors. She closes her eyes thinking about the right combination of pigments to achieve the correct brown color of the doctor's eyes – soft brown eyes like whiskey or are they hazel? I must look closely later. She starts to arrange her drawing materials when she hears a soft knock on her door. So now, who is it? I hope it's not Kenzi. Or is it Tamsin? She pouts. Can I just pretend that I'm already sleeping? She waits a little longer, hoping that the person outside her door is not Kenzi or Tamsin. She smiles when she heard her grandfather's voice.

"Ysabeau, are you still awake?"

Bo opens the door. "Yes Pops, I'm still awake. Come in." She gathers the boxes of pencils and slid them into the drawer. She then sits on her bed to properly face her grandfather. "Why are you still awake? I thought you are already sleeping."

Trick walks towards the couch and sits. "Well I needed to talk to Bruce and Steve." He sighs. "I am thinking of making Bruce the nightshift manager and Steve the head of security. Now of course since they are going to be promoted, we need two people to replace them."

Bo nods. "Of course. Did you ask them?"

"Yes. Steve told me they have cousins whom they can call tomorrow. He said they are just like him and Bruce."

"Really? Tall and imposing? Identical twins?"

Trick laughs. "Both actually. But Bruce said Dave and Robert are shorter in their stature but nonetheless scary and intimidating."

"I'm happy for Bruce and Steve."

"It's time. They have been with us for more than five years. And I trust them immensely." He nods. "So you approve?"

"Of course Pops."

"Well then..." His eyes strays from his granddaughter to the drawing table. "Ysabeau, are you starting to draw again?" Trick glances at the open drawing pad.

"Oh." She forgot to put away the drawing pad. "Well Pops, I thought I can start drawing again... you know, after a grueling time at work I can forget about everything and just do something that I really love." She shrugs.

"I always love how you draw. You may not know how to paint like your grandmother but to draw like this... it is innate Ysabeau. You should be proud of yourself." He smiles, pointing at the drawing pad. "May I?"

"Sure Pops." She smiles nervously, waiting for his grandfather's reaction.

"Wow! They are like... very real. The eyes are alive! How...?" Trick's eyes widen and sparkle, obviously amazed of his granddaughter's skill. "Wait... are these eyes specific to a face or are they just from a random one?"

Her face reddens. Good thing her grandfather is still focused on the drawing so he didn't see Bo's face. "A random one." _Thank God I've already hidden Lauren's picture._

"Well this girl's eyes are beautiful, even you drew them in black and white. I bet they will be more beautiful when you use your colored pencils." He looks at Bo.

"I'm planning to do that Pops." She bits her lip.

"What color will you use for the irises?"

"Definitely soft brown, like honey or whiskey."

"That's a beautiful color. I'm looking forward to see that drawing of yours." Trick raises his eyebrow. "You are very specific with the color..."

"Pops, brown eyes are the most common eye color in the world with over 55% of the world's population having brown eyes." She points out.

Trick raises his hand, grinning. "Okay I rest my case. So that's the reason why you are still awake my darling granddaughter?"

"Actually Pops, I am hoping that I bump into you because..." Bo smiles widely. "... I want to be the one who will first greet you on your birthday." She walks towards her grandfather and hug him. "Happy birthday Pops."

"Oh thank you Ysabeau." He returns the hug, smiling. "You are sweet, you haven't changed a bit. I remember you hugging me and your grandma tight every time you came here for vacation when you were still a kid."

"Of course Pops." She leans back from the embrace. "Oh wait, I have a gift for you." She opens her nightstand, getting out a gift box. It is a long rectangular blue box with a silver ribbon wrapped around it and a bow with the same color at the center.

"You don't have to buy me a gift Ysabeau." His eyes are glassy with suppressed emotions.

"Oh it's nothing Pops." Bo glances at her grandfather and sighs. She's still dealing with her emotional outburst earlier so she steels herself from feeling too much too soon. "Let's sit on the couch and open your gift. C'mon." She laughs a little, hoping to instill some lightness into their familial tête-à-tête.

Trick sits on the couch and starts to open the gift box. When the box is finally opened, his eyes widen. "Wow, these are Pancaldi ties Ysabeau. They are very special and..." He gasps. "... there are three of them?"

"It means 'I love you' and I know you love these ties. Do you like the colors?"

"Yes, very much." Eyes still misted, he smiles and put his hands on Bo's. "And I love you, too. Thank you for this wonderful gift Ysabeau."

"These are nothing compared to all the things you have given me. So what are your plans later?"

"Well as you know, I'll be meeting my friends after breakfast. But before that, I'll be going to church. Then at lunch, I will be seeing my former colleagues at the law office. After that, there will be a little get-together with my fellow Knights of Columbus brothers." Trick explains, grinning widely at his granddaughter.

"Whoa Pops, you'll be a very busy birthday boy! But can we have a little celebration with you at dinner time?" Bo puts her right arm around Trick's shoulder, leaning closer to him.

Trick squeezes Bo's hand on her lap and says, "Of course Ysabeau. We can go to Zinc, Union League Café or somewhere else that you and the girls want to go to."

"Okay Pops, I'll ask them then I'll call for our reservation. You'll be home by 7 in the evening?" She hopes everything will be right on schedule for the surprise birthday celebration.

"Yes I will be here by 7. I think I need to decompress from meeting old people all day long." He laughs heartily, his eyes twinkling. "I need to surround myself with the young 'uns at that time to balance my day, you know?"

Bo widens her eyes. "Pops, you're bad. They are your friends!"

"I know. But they are old!" Trick whines and frowns.

Bo bursts out in laughter while holding her stomach. "Of course Pops, you are also old."

"Huh, for now I'll forget that you called me old Ysabeau. Just for now because you just gave me a gift but tomorrow, I'll definitely remember." Trick gives his granddaughter the stink eyes. "Speaking of young ones, I haven't seen Hale for a while now..."

"Well Pops, as you know we were quite busy these last few months then now we have a big case..." Bo shrugs.

Trick raises his eyebrow. "Ysabeau, you know something that I don't... can you tell me?"

"Uh Pops, I don't know if I'm the best person to tell you about it..." Bo bites her lip.

"Do I need to guess? Remember, it's my birthday today." Trick wiggles his eyebrows.

Bo laughs. "Pops, you are really using the 'birthday boy' card huh." She sobers up. "It's not I don't want to tell you about it but Kenzi..."

Her grandfather interrupts gently. "Is this about Kenzi and Nate? What does Hale... oh!" His eyes widen. "So Hale is avoiding Kenzi because she is now dating Nate?"

"You knew about that?"

"Nate told me about it. He asked for my blessing. I know that he really likes Kenzi and he's sincere about his feelings for her so I allowed him to tell Kenzi about how he feels."

"When was this?" Bo frowns.

"About a month ago Ysabeau."

"Well I understand that he needed to ask for your blessing because you're Kenzi's guardian..." She shrugs.

"But..."

"So why didn't he talk to me?"

"I knew that he talked to Tamsin." Trick sighs. "Ysabeau, I think the reason why Nate didn't talk to you about this was because of your association with Hale. He's your partner, like Nate is Tamsin's. And he can't just avoid the fact that Hale is actually his adversary when it comes to Kenzi. Nate is wary of you."

Bo thinks for a while, eyebrows furrow. She finally blows a breath. "Okay, I understand. If Nate really likes Kenzi then he should really take care of her. I don't want Kenzi to be hurt."

"I know. I told Nate about that and he gave me his word that he will take care of her. I told him that Kenzi is like my granddaughter and I will always protect her. So Ysabeau, don't worry about Kenzi." He reaches out to Bo and squeezes her hands. "What about Tamsin? What is she up to nowadays?"

She sighs. "Pops I don't know if you are aware..."

"That Tamsin is sleeping around? Yes I am aware of that." Trick frowns. "I do not approve of course but what can I do? I already told her a piece of my mind but she's not a minor anymore so I can't do anything about it. Have you talked to her about it?"

"I already have Pops. I actually advised her to go to a clinic and have herself checked." She then tell her grandfather the story about the policeman that slept around and contacted a venereal disease. "She said she will so let's see if she will really do it. I asked Kenzi to search a clinic that she can go to. That's all I can do about it." She frowns.

"Well I didn't think about that, good thing you did." Trick nods. "So what about you my dear?"

"What about me Pops?" Bo asks nonchalantly. But deep inside, she knows what her grandfather is asking her.

"Oh you can't do that to me Ysabeau. I know that you know what I'm talking about." Trick leans towards his granddaughter. "When are you going to date again?"

"Pops..."

"I want you to be happy. And I want to see you with someone you really love and loves you in return." Trick looks at Bo lovingly.

Bo sighs. "Well... I met someone that I really like so much but I don't know if she likes me too so..." She clears her throat. "I'm not sure if she feels the same. And I don't think my feelings for her would change very soon so if she doesn't like me at all, moving on will take some time."

"Did you already tell her how you feel?"

She shakes her head.

"Why?"

"I'm afraid that once she knows the truth about me, she will realize that I don't have much to offer... that I'm inadequate... that I don't deserve her." She looks down at her lap.

"The truth about you?" Trick staggers, obviously disturbed by his granddaughter's statement. "Well I know you – you are a loving child to your parents, a sweet granddaughter to me and your grandmother, a protective friend to Kenzi, Tamsin and Hale, a good police officer... what else can we ask from you? You are intelligent, kind-hearted, strong and passionate." He puts both hands on her shoulders, looking at her seriously. "Tell me, why do you feel that you're inadequate, that you don't have much to offer?"

"I just feel that I'm out of her league." Bo whispers, looking away from her grandfather's stare.

He sighs. "Well, who is this lucky lady that you have strong affections with?" He thinks for a while. "Or can I just guess?" When Bo doesn't answer he quips, "Is the lucky lady the doctor you have mentioned yesterday? A certain Dr. Lauren Lewis, hmmm?"

Bo knows she can't hide the truth from her grandfather so she nods.

"I don't know anything about Dr. Lewis. Although her name seems familiar to me, I can't remember when I first heard her name." He smiles wistfully. "Ysabeau, once she knows your truth and still doesn't return your affections then she doesn't deserve your love." He sees the apprehensive look at Bo's face. "I know that for a fact because I know you very well. You deserve to be loved. You deserve to be happy. Just be yourself and everything will be just fine." His face suddenly turns into more serious mood. "But just to be clear my dear, you first saw her a year ago right? And you met again just this Friday?"

Bo, still speechless, nods again.

"Then you don't have to worry too much Ysabeau. You just met. Give yourselves a chance to know each other well. For now, I have a question for you. Do you know if the attraction is mutual?"

She smiles, finally looking at her grandfather. "That's the only thing that I'm sure of Pops. I caught her checking me out once or twice."

Trick laughs. "Then that's a good start. If you are seeking for true love then it will take time. It should not be rushed. Okay? Perish your ugly thoughts." He squeezes Bo's hands. "You are beautiful inside and out. Anyone will be very lucky to have you in her life. If it's Lauren then that's good because you already love her. Now, I really want to meet her. I want to know why you have strong affections for her Ysabeau."

Bo smiles widely, showing her dimples. "You will meet her very soon Pops."

"Just tell me when and where and I'll be there." Trick smiles back, feeling good that he made his granddaughter smile again after a while. He stands up from the couch and looks at the clock. "Ysabeau, it's already late. We both need to sleep."

She finds herself yawning when she heard the word 'sleep'. "Oh yeah. I forgot that you'll be starting your day very early. How did you find sleeping in your old room?"

"I slept soundly last night, just like a baby."

"I'm glad you did Pops. Let me accompany you to your room." They both exit Bo's room and walk to the end of the hall.

Trick opens the door to his room and turns on the light. "It's a little bit cluttered for now. I didn't have the time to arrange the things I brought from my room in The Dahl. I should have told Bruce and Steve not to bring them up all at once but they did so..."

Several frames of paintings were displayed on every corner of his room. All of them were painted by his wife, Isabeau McCorrigan, Bo's grandmother. Her works consisted of landscapes and still lifes and used acrylic paints and watercolors.

"Pops..." Bo's eyes roam the paintings. "... these are all Mom's? But there are 12 of them here."

"Yes. These are our personal collection Ysabeau. Most of them are painted in acrylics but the special ones are the watercolors, like the painting she gave you."

"That one is really special Pops. I love it. The colors are bright and alive. It's like I was there when she painted it." Bo smiles widely.

"Well at least your mom was there when it was done."

"What do you mean?"

"Your Moms was pregnant with your mother when she painted that one. That was fall of 1956. Did you look at your Mom's signature at the lower right of the painting? You should see IDM56." Trick smiles, obviously proud of his wife's artworks.

"1956? Mom was born on that year right?"

"Yes. Two months after your Moms finished that one, she gave birth to your mom. She was very happy when she was painting that portrait; maybe the reason why it was very vibrant to the eyes. Every morning she would wake up and set herself at the back of the lodge. That scenery in the painting was the view from the elevated part of the patio." The older man's eyes have that faraway look. Bo observes that this occurs every time her grandfather is reminiscing and thinking about his native country Ireland. And then with a gentler voice he states, "That painting is special to me and your grandmother Ysabeau; that's why we gave it to you."

Bo's curiosity peaks when she heard her grandfather's last statement. "How come Pops?"

"It will be revealed to you when the right time comes." Trick winks. "But not now."

She groans. "Okay. But can you tell me where the view from the painting is?

Trick laughs. "I know you're a very curious person my dear. Yes I can tell you. It is in Ballinafad, County Sligo in Ireland of course. That's all I can tell you for now. It's already sleeping time. C'mon."

"Alright Pops, I'll be going to my room now. Happy birthday again." She kisses the top of her grandfather's head.

When she enters her room, she hurriedly walks to the painting her grandmother gave to her before her demise. She looks at the right lowermost corner of the portrait. There she stares at her grandmother's initial and the year it was made – IDM56. Is it coincidental that the portrait her grandmother painted the year her mother was born was the painting that was given to her before she died? What is the significance of this with what her grandfather divulged to her earlier?

"Oh shoot, my head hurts." She rubs her forehead and sighs. "Need to sleep now." She walks to her drawing table and arranges her materials, puts them inside the drawers. She stops when she looks at her drawing of Lauren's eyes. She can't help but smile at how real they are, like they are alive. "Yes, I'm back! Hah!" Her smile is immediately replaced by a yawn; she really need to sleep now.

She hurriedly puts off the light and crawls over her bed, the image of her beloved's eyes imprinted on her mind before her own eyes closes for the long awaited rest.

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 **Westville New Haven**

When Lauren finally enters her room, she walks straight to her dresser and takes out a faded Yale shirt and shorts. She enters her bathroom, changes to her sleepwear and stands at the front of the mirror. Still reeling from the kiss Bo planted on her temple, she touches the skin where the officer's lips landed. She closes her eyes, requesting her brain to go back to the moment when she felt Bo's lips, when she was surrounded by her presence and how she was held by the brunette – with affection, warmth and devotion. The only question she could think of now is why? _Why did she hold me like that? Why did she kiss me?_ For Lauren Lewis, the most important questions are the whys and hows. She's a scientist after all. But between her and Bo, the most important is the whys. _Is it about the connection that we have? And the chemistry and spark that we have right from the start?_ Then she thought about Vex and Ciara. _Well, where are they now? Ciara is with Dyson and Vex..._ She sighs.

She has to admit, all the feelings and emotions that these last two days brought her feel great but at the same time very scary. She hasn't felt this way before. True, she had relationships before. _Relationships?_ Was that the correct term for what she had with her exes? _I'm not good with relationships!_ But all those relationships just brought her pain and misery. _If Bo and I will be in a relationship, will I do well?_ She laughs. _Look at me, already thinking about a relationship with her! Get a grip Lewis. It has been what, two days? Then later, I have to meet her grandfather and her best friends._ Then a realization sets in. "Oh shit, oh shit I'll be meeting her grandfather later! Then her best friends... oh my God!" She paces back and forth in front of her bed. "What shall I wear? What shall I bring? Is the cake enough? It's her grandfather's birthday, it's not enough. Shit!"

She curses more when she heard a series of knocks on her door. It opens up and Vex comes charging inside his best friend's room. "What's happening? Are you alright? I heard you cursing. And you haven't cursed that much in your lifetime." Concern etches the man's face.

"Vex! I'm alright. It's just I realized that I'll be meeting Bo's family later." She frowns. "Suddenly, I feel anxious just thinking about it. Then I don't know what to wear and if the cake will be enough as a gift for Mr. McCorrigan's birthday." She enumerates her problems and resumes her pacing in front of her best friend.

He laughs. Then quickly sobers. "You know what, pacing is not good for your impeccable reputation." He shakes his head. "Stop that. We should sit and think of resolutions for your problems." He grasps her arms and drags her to the couch. "Sit. We'll talk this through. Just breathe."

Lauren takes a deep breath and exhales, repeats it twice. "Okay, okay I'm calm now." She sighs. "Thank God, you're still awake."

"I am actually thinking about the cake. You know me and chocolate cakes, I'm obsessed with them. Lo, I am thinking about doing a reimagined classic whiskey-spiked Irish coffee as a decadent mocha layer cake filled with coffee-whiskey whipped cream and topped with white and dark chocolate shavings. How does that sound? Delicious right?" Vex smiles smugly.

"Wow yeah."

"Then why not make your classic meat lasagna? I think Trick will appreciate it. And of course your beloved, she will love it."

Lauren blushes.

"Awwww! My God, you're blushing at 2:00 o'clock in the morning!" Vex grins, eyes twinkling. "Remember, the way to men's heart is through their stomachs. From what I saw, it also applies to women especially to Bo. I like her, she's not pretentious especially when she's eating. I'm actually envious of her appetite, how she devoured that plate of carbonara." He rubs his stomach. "I feel bloated all the time."

She reaches out and rubs his stomach and laughs. "Uh it's getting bigger." Vex slaps her hand and frowns. "We should start riding our bikes again. What about tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow morning?"

"We eat our breakfast first then we rest. After an hour or so, we ride our usual route. We have an ample time to bake the cake and cook the lasagna. Then we eat our lunch, then rest again until we go to downtown for Mr. McCorrigan's birthday. What do you think of the plan?"

"What about Ciara?"

"Oh she texted me earlier. She needs to go to the hospital tomorrow morning until afternoon. So she won't be here while we do all that. But we will pick her up from the hospital before we go to downtown."

Vex raises his eyebrow. "So she has work tomorrow. What about you?"

Lauren sighs. "I basically finished the laboratory part of my residency Vex. I am actually on a special project, given to me by Dr. Ellis. I can actually work from here but my attendance at the hospital is very important. We don't need other people to know about the project but I need to show my face there and let them know that I'm still a resident. It's very sensitive but time consuming."

"And what is the project?"

"It is about a research on how cells control and organize the segregation of their chromosomes during cell division. I will examine the regulation of exit from mitosis, the regulation of the meiotic cell cycle, and effects of..."

Vex raises his hands. "Of course, it's about cells. Why do I still ask?" He rolls his eyes.

"Because you're an innately curious man. C'mon let's go to my closet and see what I can pair with my jeans."

"Oh the jeans that I got you just because I love your ass when you wear it?" They walk towards Lauren's walk in closet.

"You sound so creepy right now but yeah, that's the one!"

"Well let's see..." He goes through her wardrobe and exclaims, "You have too many Oxford shirts!"

"Oh don't mind them. They are essentials. They are the only ones that I can wear in the hospital."

"Fine." His eyes roam the closet and finds flannel shirts that are somewhat hidden. "Aha, you have plaid flannel shirts. Why are they hidden?"

Lauren rolls her eyes. "I was hoping that you won't find them but since I've given you free reign..." She huffs. "I'm not hiding them. I just bought them last week, didn't have the time to properly arrange them in my closet."

Vex raises his eyebrow at Lauren's reasoning but decides not to voice a retort. "I am okay with plaid flannel shirts as long as you know how to wear them. Mix and match darling! You can actually wear one later. Just pair it with one of your tank tops then there you go, your outfit dilemma is solved!" Vex leans forward, pulling out the blue and green plaid shirt. "I like this one, it will enhance your eyes. The tank top should be light blue, light green or white."

The doctor nods. "Okay. Thank you for the fashion advice."

The businessman smiles. "Always happy to serve, my favorite heiress." He curtsies.

"Stop that please." She rolls her eyes.

"But you truly are an heiress."

"I know but it doesn't mean that I have to be comfortable hearing someone calling me that."

Vex sighs. "Well maybe Lauren you need to finally step inside your building and hear what your parents and brother will say about the family business so you can be comfortable when someone calls you an heiress. I think you need to see the whole picture." He sees the scowl on his best friend's face. "I know you are afraid to know the enormity of your family's wealth but you need to know. It doesn't mean that you need to come back to California and work for your family's company. Because I think if your mom and dad really want that, you're not here now and you are in California working for your pharmaceutical laboratory. I think if your mom or dad really want to force you to work for them, they will and they can. But they are not doing it. They did not in the past and I don't think they will in the future. But the only thing you can do for them is to finally sit down and talk about all of it with them. Knowledge is power Lauren. You know that. Knowing what the company's worth is not going to change you. Knowing what you are worth is not going to change you. I know why you are afraid and anxious. When was the last time you check how much money you have? Your dad is managing your finances for you right? Ask him so you won't be too shocked in the future when the need to know is imminent. By knowing how much you are worth, you will learn to accept all of it. It won't change you." He sighs. "I know how much money I have but does it change me? Dyson knows his worth, does it change him? Tell me Lauren."

The doctor shakes her head. "No."

"We don't flaunt. We don't display what we have. Even Ryan who among us is the most involved in the business doesn't flaunt. Trust me, it won't change you. You'll just have the advantage of knowing how much money you have and what you can do about it. The only thing that matters is knowing where you stand and what you're capable of. I know you told your dad to do something about it right?"

"Yeah. I know I can't hide that from you." Lauren shrugs. "I told him to do something about the money and he came up with the idea. I love it and told him to do it right away."

"Are you involved with any of the processes?"

"No, I just told Dad that I'm giving him free reign."

"Lauren, you need to be involved. It's your money..."

"But I didn't do anything for that money..."

"Still, it's your money. You need to accept that. It is your birth right. And as your birth right, it is the obligation of your parents to nurture you, to provide you clothes and food to have a comfortable life, to give you an education so that you have a better future. They gave you that. And you can't blame them just because the business ventures they came up with became successful and your family became one of the wealthiest in California, if not the whole US of A. Do you know the net worth of The Lewis Group of Companies now? Of your parents, Vincent?"

Lauren shakes her head.

"Billions Lauren, billions of dollars! They can actually send you to other countries ten times over so you could do whatever you want with your science. You have a pharmaceutical laboratory for Christ's sake! One of the biggest in the west. But they don't because you don't want to. They are respecting your wishes because they love you and because you are an integral part of the family. They didn't force you to work for them because they believe in free will. The only thing you can do is to accept it, to accept where you stand in this world and know what you can do about it. Isn't that exciting? That thing you told your father to do, he did it because of your money. You have lots of it. Aren't you happy about that? That you are capable to help other people because of that money?" He puts his hands on the doctor's shoulders. "And what about your future darling? Maybe in five to 10 you will have a family of your own. Aren't you glad that you have the means to give your family a happy and satisfying life?"

The doctor just stares at her best friend, contemplating and processing.

"I know that you already show them how independent you are, away from that money. And what's funny about this, although your parents are very capable to send you to college you defied that and earned yourself a college scholarship. And it's in Yale, for God's sake. Well I don't blame your brain. Your parents can't blame you for that. But now that you are already earning your keeps and you're going to have your dream job, maybe you could give that part of yourself some kind of attention perhaps?"

"Okay."

Vex raises his eyebrow. "Okay?"

"I will go inside the building and sit down with my parents and brother to discuss all of it. Happy?" Lauren smiles at her best friend.

The taller man snorts. "Well finally! I don't think a long speech like that will convince you to do it. Dyson and I have been harping you for ages. Even Ryan has been egging you in his own ways. "

"Well while you are spouting your impromptu speech..." She grins. "... I decided that it's time to stop running away from that fear. Then maybe I will have to manage my own money so Dad can focus more on the business. I need to find a lawyer and an accountant as soon as I talk to my father..."

"Whoa whoa slow down!" Vex puts up his hands up. "I just hope to guide you down that road but you're suddenly up and running. You have time for that Lo. But first, you need to understand the business, then you need to involve yourself in the process of what you have asked your Dad to do for you. Those are the two most important things you need to do first okay? Then after that, you can decide about managing your own money and finding your own lawyer and accountant here in New Haven. Dyson, Ryan and I will help you on that."

"Fine." She huffs. "I just wanted to ask you for advice on what clothes to match with my jeans then you go and make it about managing my own money." She laughs, while rubbing her forehead. "This weekend keeps on getting weirder and weirder."

"Why weird?" Of all the adjectives that he expects his best friend to describe the weekend, it's not that word. "Good weird or bad weird?"

"The good kind of weird." She pats his arm. "Don't worry I'm okay now. I think this conversation has made me realize that I need to do things out of my comfort zone."

"Aha so this realization, is this a spur of the moment thing or are you marinating on it for quite a while now?"

"Been thinking for months actually." A frown creases the doctor's face.

"And you haven't shared it to anyone."

"Maybe I needed this talk..." She waves her hand between the two of them. "... or maybe because it's already 2:30 in the morning and we need sleep so I said yes just so you could shut up." She laughs.

"Oh no, it can't be that. You are not a compulsive person Lo. I know you very well." Vex stares hard at his best friend. "Son of a bitch, you already have thought about this for a while! I knew it! If I haven't said my piece, you won't tell me right? You will do it and then you will just tell me afterwards. God I hate you sometimes!"

"Oh no, you can't hate me Vex. I know you too very well." She smirks. "Yes I am going to do it when we go there for Thanksgiving. And yes, I will tell you once I've done it. But you know that I will ask for your help afterwards right? I don't know what to do about it Vaughn. I know that you, Dyson and Ryan will help me through it." She hold Vex's hands and says, "Please tell me that you forgive me." She blinks her puppy dog eyes.

"Oh you and your feminine wiles! You don't use it very often but then if you do, you do it perfectly!" He raises his hand. "Okay fine, you're forgiven." Then he whispers, "Maybe that's why Ryan can't move on from you."

"What did you say?" Lauren crosses her arms and glares at Vex. "I haven't used my feminine wiles on him ever, got it?"

"Why?"

"Because it can be misinterpreted Vex, you know that! I know that in his eyes, our relationship is not plain black and white. For him it is blurry but for me, it is very clear." She shakes her head.

"Fuckin' Ryan!"

"Freakin' arrangement!"

"You know what, that's one of the thoughtless things that your parents did to you. I meant no disrespect Lauren, I love Oliver and Eleanor but damn!" Vex shakes his head. "I didn't expect your dad making that arrangement with Ryan's parents. Maybe your mom used her feminine wiles with your dad? She loves Ryan, you know."

Lauren shrugs.

"Oh wait, you haven't discussed this with them." His eyes widen with shock. "You have too many issues with your parents. You can't keep hiding them, it will fester and I think you know that if a wound festers... Is this one of the reasons why you ran away from home?"

"Yes it is, one of the major reasons."

"You keep some deep secrets from me..."

"You know I'm really not into sharing. I don't want to bother you with my teenage angsts. And you know my biggest secrets... "

"I know. I'm your best friend but until I prod and probe you, you won't give them up. Good thing I don't give up that easily." He sighs. "And your issues are not just teenage angsts dear. They are grownup problems that you need to address with your parents." He points out to the doctor.

"Okay Vaughn, don't worry. I'll... talk to them." She sighs. "It's going to be 3:00 in the morning. Let's sleep. C'mon, I still need to brush my teeth." Lauren kisses his cheek.

He looks at her lovingly. "Okay. Sweet dreams Lo. Clear your thoughts and dream of your beloved." He winks.

She just rolls her eyes and closes the door. She pauses for a moment and takes a short breath. She walks towards the comfort room and continues her night rituals.

She turns off the light, she sits on her bed and closes her eyes for a while. As Vex asks her to do, she clears her mind. Truth to be told, it's really hard to clear the mind of one Lauren Lewis. Too many things in her mind; this has been dilemma since she was a child. She stands up and arranges her pillows.

When she finally lies down, the only thought she has on her mind is the kiss and Bo.

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 **Downtown New Haven**

It is already 10:00 o'clock in the morning when Kenzi knocks on Bo's door.

"Bo! Bo! Bo! Wakey wakey! If you don't wake up right now, we won't leave any morsel of food for you. Even the coffee, we will drink it all up!" Kenzi covers her mouth while giggling. She knows how to wake up the older brunette. Food is Bo's kyrptonite after all.

She knocks again when she does not hear any response from the occupant of the room. She really needs to wake up Bo because they have many things to do for Trick's birthday. Kenzi tries the door and she exclaims when it opens, "Woah! She didn't lock her door?" She enters the room and looks at the bed. She can't help but laugh at the sleeping woman, who is very beautiful but is currently snoring a little loud while her mouth is open. "Oh Bo, what will Lauren say when she sees you like this?"

How will I wake her up? She roams her eyes in the room to search for an object that she can use. The room is clear, no strewn things to use. She sighs. "This will do." She puts her index finger into her mouth, wets it thoroughly with her saliva. She goes to the sleeping woman's back and climbs on the bed. She carefully puts her wet finger in Bo's right ear. The desired effect is achieved when Bo jumps up her bed, very confused. "What? When? Where?" When she sees a laughing Kenzi, she's very furious. "Kenzi! You inserted a wet finger in my ear again, didn't you? Why can't you wake me up without doing that." She groans. "What time is it?"

"It's already 10 in the morning Bo. I did that so you will wake up fast. See?" She pats the older brunette's shoulder and says, "Please you really need to get up now. You need eat breakfast. Pops already left so we can now do all the things that we need to do Bo. I'll go down now, just hurry please. Tamsin is already awake. She said she went home at 5 in the morning. She's already arranging the living room. Bruce and Steve are downstairs helping her."

Bo lays down again to recuperate from the unpleasant feeling brought by Kenzi's way of waking her up. She lets out a big breath and gets up from her bed. She then goes to the comfort room to look at the mirror and arrange her hair. She sighs and combs her hair, gathering and tying them up on top of her head.

Her eyebrow gets up when she sees Kenzi's piano in the living room.

Tamsin sees her. "Bruce, Steve and I brought that down this morning. You didn't hear us huh?"

Bo shakes her head. "No, very sleepy." She goes straight to the kitchen and sits down to eat breakfast. She heaps her plate with ham, eggs and slices of toast. She starts to eat when her blonde best friend plops down on the chair in front of her. "Hey, I heard we have guests later." She winks. "Can't resist to finally introduce the doctor to Trick?"

The officer looks up. "Of course Kenzi already told you. Who cooked breakfast? Don't tell me you let Pops cook!"

"Of course not!" The blonde snorts. "Bruce cooked while Steve buttered the toasts and made the coffee. Are they adorable?" They both looked and smiled at the hulking men in the living room, carrying heavy chairs and tables. "You didn't answer my question."

"Yes I invited Vex, Ciara and Lauren to Pops' birthday party later." Bo fights a smile by pressing her lips.

"Oh don't hide that smile from me Bo. You can't just resist from seeing her again today huh?" Tamsin stares hard at her best friend. "I know I'm not the role model for relationships Bo but I can still read people and I know something is up." She smiles at the brunette, her voice gentle. "I know you already love her but there's something new today." She nods. "Yeah, that's it. You're not going to hide it anymore."

"Yes I decided not to hide it anymore from you, Kenzi, Pops and Hale. You're the closest people in my life right now. Hiding it from you will be very hard." Bo smiles widely. "And it feels great, loving somebody. It's freeing and enlightening at the same time."

"I'm happy for you Bo."

"Thank you Tam."

"So can you finish your breakfast already and help us arrange the furniture? Stretch your muscles!" The blonde frowns and turns her back, leaving Bo in the dining table.

She hurriedly chews her breakfast and drinks her first cup of coffee for the day. She starts standing up when Kenzi is suddenly on her side. "What are you doing?"

"I am going to tell you to sit down and explain to me what happened before you left me hanging so early this morning." The younger brunette glares at Bo.

"Kenzi please, can we do that later? You said yourself, we have lots to do so can I take a rain check on that? Promise, I will explain it later to you. But before anything else, I will give you a clue - meltdown." Bo stands up and hopes that Kenzi will stop pestering her.

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 **Westville New Haven**

Lauren and Vex are in the pantry, checking if they have all the ingredients for the cake and lasagna. They just came back from their morning exercise - bicycling from Westville to Beaver Hills and back.

"Vex, are you sure you don't want to cool down first? Your skin is flushed and you had muscle cramps earlier. Just sit in the kitchen then drink lots of water. If we have Gatorade, it's better. We can still rest, there are lots of time to spare."

Her best friend glares at her.

"Okay fine, I'll go with you. Let me get a heat compress first so we can place that on your cramped muscles then we rest. Start drinking lots of water please." The doctor starts walking up to her room.

When she comes down, she sees Vex drinking Gatorade. She smiles at him and gives him the instant heat compress. "Use it right away please. We can transfer to the living room so you could stretch your feet on the table. Go there now and I'll just fetch another bottle of Gatorade."

Vex silently gets up and walks towards the living room.

Lauren shakes her head. Vex got hurt when he practically challenges her to a race towards Beaver Hills. She granted his wish, even let him have his headstart. Lauren knows racing is a bad idea but she relented so it's partly her fault why Vex is hurting right now. She hurriedly walks towards the living room, wanting to know her best friend's state of mind. "Are you okay?" She rolls her eyes. "I know it's a stupid question but can you speak please? You haven't said anything since we came home."

Vex grunts. "I'm okay, just hurting. I can't believe I pulled my hamstring. I won't challenge you to a race again."

"A lesson learned in a hard way. I can't believe I let you do it. You're a bad influence sometimes."

The tall man laughs. "Oh yeah I know. Well it has been a long time since we ride our bicycles so it just pop in my mind, why not a race? Good idea Vex!"

The doctor pats her best friend's arms. "We'll rest for now, it's only 10 in the morning so we have lots of time. Pace yourself. Later, instead of standing up while you mix your ingredients for the cake, you sit okay? Then you bake your cake. While it's baking you can go ahead and shower or take a bath so you can soak your hamstring in warm water. I'll watch your cake for you while I'm making the lasagna."

Vex nods, smiling. "Okay, that's a good plan."

"So we now have a plan. Then while you are taking a bath, I'll arrange the lasagna. Good thing I already have dough for the pasta sheets, I'll just need them to go through the pasta machine and boil them. Oh I also need you to grate the cheese for me. I already prepared the meat and sauces. I'll pop the lasagna into the oven so I could take a bath myself."

"Then after the baking, cooking, bathing etc. we need to pick up Ciara from the hospital? What time are we going to do that?"

"She said she will be out at five in the afternoon so we can be early. Bo said to be there at six right?"

Vex raises his eyebrow. "Yes. Picking up Ci from Yale hospital at five will get us to Trick and Bo's house in ten minutes or so after. It's too early."

"Maybe we can help them on whatever they prepare for Trick?" Lauren shrugs. "I don't know."

"Oh don't deny it okay? You just can't wait to see Bo." Vex grins.

"I don't know what you're talking about Vex." Her grin matches her best friend's.

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 **Author's Note: I know I promised this chapter would be Trick's birthday but the story told itself so please bear with me. Next chapter will be Trick's birthday. I know there's no Bo and Lauren interaction in this chapter but it will be worth it promise. Thanks for understanding.**


	14. Chapter 14 - Fall 2006

**Author's Note: I'm so sorry about the long delay. The usual reason, real life happened. And I want to thank you all for reading my story, following it, putting it as one of your favorite stories and reviewing it. From the bottom of my heart, maraming salamat (that's Filipino for 'thank you very much'). And to the reviewer that has mentioned about Vex being called as Vaughn, the reason is because his full name in this story is Vaughn Exequiel for Vex. I can't just let Vex be his full name. The people who will call him Vaughn in this story can be all of them but it will be Lauren, Dyson, Ryan, Trick, Ciara, Vex's mom that will call him that more frequently than the others. Sorry but I really need to clear that.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Lost Girl. I just used them for my story. Doccubus forever!**

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 **Chapter Fourteen**

 **Yale New Haven Hospital**

Miranda Hamilton is running for her life. She just found out from Nurse Henderson that Percy Saunders was already in the custody of New Haven police, that he was actually caught at the scene of the crime. She knows that in no time, the coward will eventually divulge her name to them just to save his face. And because of this she needs to act now but she needs more information. Entering the elevator, she pulls out her cellphone from her pocket and types in a message to her contact at the police station. It's time to retaliate. She will do this for Nadia. She will do this for the woman whom she fell in love with, the one she didn't mean to hurt but hurt nonetheless.

She is walking towards the hospital lobby when she heard someone calling her name. She immediately freezes. She recognizes the voice of Nadia's best friend, Dr. Adam Carlo. _Shit, I shouldn't have come back. And why is he here on a Sunday afternoon?_

"Nurse Hamilton there you are!" The tall doctor jogs towards her. "Miranda, I've been looking for you since yesterday. Where have you been? Do you know what happened to Nadia?" He asks her in a soft voice.

"Yes I already knew. She was one of my patients in my rounds last night." She starts to fiddle with the handle of the bag she's holding.

"And? Did you talk to her?"

"Uhm..." The sound of an incoming message saves her from answering the doctor. She looks down at her cellphone, reads the text and sighs. "Sorry Adam but I need to go. Talk to you later." She hurried walks towards the exit.

"Okay." Dr. Adam Carlo frowns, looking at the retreating figure of his best friend's lover. _She seems distracted. I need to talk to Nadia._

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 **Westville New Haven**

"Lo, Lo are you ready to go?" He looks at his watch. "It's already quarter to five." The cake has been placed inside the box, the lasagna has been sealed and wrapped nicely and he's raring to go. "Bo won't love you any less if your hair's not perfect." He shouts out, laughing.

"What?" Lauren asks while walking down the stairs and folding her sleeves.

"Nothing." Vex looks at the doctor and smiles. "I knew it. The color of your shirt really enhances your eyes. And nice pairing of the tops and shoes." He looks down at the blonde's high top white Chuck Taylor's.

"Is it okay?"

"Yes, you look wow!"

Lauren laughs. "You're exaggerating. But okay, you just mean well." She stops and stares at Vex. "You look sharp, I mean are we going to the same party?"

Vex looks down at his white shirt, blue jeans and black denim jacket ensemble. He also wears his white Chuck Taylor's. "Hey we wear the same shoes."

"Indeed. Great minds think alike."

"Let's go then. We need to pass by a liquor store. We need to buy booze and the best Irish whiskey for Trick. After that, we go and pick up Ciara then we'll see your beloved." He winks.

"You know what, one day you might slip up in front of mixed company... I don't know if we can explain that."

"We'll manage."

She sighs. "Just don't say it out loud."

"Agreed."

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 **Downtown New Haven**

Kenzi shakes her head when she sees Bo straightening the banners, balloons and decorations for the umpteenth time. She walks towards the older brunette and pokes her. "Bo, you are starting to really annoy me! You have been touching the decorations for how many times for the past hour. We already outdone ourselves. They are perfect! Look at the balloons, they are the colors of the flag of Ireland. And the party hats! Pops will be delighted. C'mon Bo, relax!"

Bo sighs. "Okay! What about the flowers?"

"I've spoken to old Gertrude a while ago over the phone. She said she'll make sure that the flowers will be delivered at five thirty. She also said she'll attend her darling Trick's birthday party." The younger brunette grins. "And oh, the young Gertrude will be coming with her. Someone is so eager to see you!" Kenzi winks.

The officer laughs. "It's okay, little G is harmless. On the other hand, looks Mrs. G is creeping her way to Pops' good graces. She gave me a discount on the flowers and told me to tell Pops afterwards and also to put in a few good words for her."

"Really? That's hilarious."

"It's actually cute."

"What's up?" Tamsin sidles up to her best friends.

"Oh we're just talking about the double G's." Kenzi replies.

"Huh, the young redhead who has the hots for Bo and the much older brunette who's smitten with Trick!" The blonde snickers.

Bo slaps Tamsin's arm. "Little G is harmless Tam. She doesn't have the 'hots' for me. She's just a shy kid who has a crush, that's pretty normal and nothing serious."

"She's not a kid anymore Bo. She's already in college." The blonde points out.

"I know but still, she's very young for me. She's what, 18? 19? And besides Tam, she's like our little sister." The older brunette blanches.

Tamsin starts, "So if she's not..."

Bo interrupts. "Nothing Tam. And she's a good kid, helps her grandmother in their flower shop. That's all. Why would I interpret her actions towards me as malicious when she's just simply admiring? Nothing wrong with that. And besides, all she ever do is smile and talk to me when I pass by their shop. How do you interpret that as having the 'hots' for me?" She frowns. "I can also read people."

"Well you know Tamsin Bo, every person that looks at her for more than three seconds means a whole lot of meaning to her." The younger brunette snorts.

"That's not true."

"True."

"Not true."

"Truer than true. If not, can you explain to us how you pick up the men and women that you were sexing up each and every day of your life?"

"Hey stop! I don't want to know. I'm not interested." Bo looks at her watch. "It's already five and our guests will be here soon so please stop the bickering and behave." She stops her lecture when her cellphone alerts for a new text. She pulls it out from her pocket and hurriedly opens the message. She smiles widely when she sees that Lauren has sent her a message.

"Uh look at that smile and the sparkle in her eyes. You know who texted her. What does she say?" Kenzi tiptoes, trying to have a view of Bo's phone.

The officer's dazzling smile fades when she reads the end of the message and is replaced by worry. "Oh no!"

"Why? What happened?"

"They will be here in twenty minutes!" Bo taps her forehead.

"But you told them to be here at six right?" Tamsin asks.

"Yes but she said they will be picking up Ciara at Yale Hospital at five then they will go straight here. So that's what, ten minutes from here!" Bo looks down at her purple button down shirt, black jeans and black boots. "Am I looking alright?"

"You're smoking hot!" The blonde exclaims.

Bo glares at her.

"Well do you want an honest opinion or what? I'm just telling you the truth. But I'm hotter than you." Tamsin winks.

"I don't care. What matters is that I'm presentable enough."

"Purple is your color BoBo! For once, I like what you have decided to wear today."

"Just once? I'm still learning Kenzi!"

"Yeah well, you still have some questionable choices so..." The younger brunette shrugs.

"Fine. But I'm okay?"

"As Tamsin said, you're smoking hot. Just open up another button then you'll be hotter than Tam."

"Oh no! This is fine, don't have to do that." Bo shakes her head.

"Spoilsport!" Kenzi sticks out her tongue.

Then Bo's phone starts to ring. Her eyes widen. "Silence! Lauren is calling!" She clears her throat.

Kenzi and Tamsin look at each other and chuckles. They are loving how their best friend reacts to the doctor. They are now more eager to meet the woman. Although they already have an idea how she looks like, they want to know why Bo is acting like a love-struck teenager whenever the doctor's name is mentioned or she did something simple like sending a text message.

Bo accepts the call with a dazzling smile.

" _ **Hello! Bo?"**_

"Oh hi Lauren! Why are you calling? Are you already on your way here?"

" _ **We just left the house. We are on our way to the hospital to pick up Ciara. We'll be there in twenty minutes."**_

"Okay."

" _ **Bo, is it okay if we'll be there earlier than six? We thought we could help you on whatever you will do for your grandfather's birthday."**_

"Yes, that's fine Lauren. Just come here as soon as you pick up Ciara from the hospital. And well, we are already done with the decorations." Bo is thankful that she remains calm and collected while talking to the doctor. The reality is, her heart is beating fast. It also doesn't help that her two best friends are watching her like hawks.

" _ **Okay. Well, Vex wants to know if..."**_ Bo hears Vex's muffled voice after the pause. _**"**_ _ **... you need us to..."**_ Another pause, followed by a muted conversation. _**"**_ _ **... I'm sorry Bo. Vex is being pesky with me right now and he wants to talk to you but he's driving so I told him he can't. I wish you could see his face now."**_ Lauren laughs. That laugh is music to Bo's ears. She can't help smiling although she knows the doctor can't see her.

"Tell him he can't drive while talking to the phone. If he insists, I'll arrest him."

" _ **I'll tell him that."**_ Bo hears Vex's muffled voice, just a little bit louder than usual. Her eyes widen when she heard Vex said 'beloved'.

"What did he say?"

" _ **What?"**_ The officer sensed a change of tone in the doctor's voice. _**"**_ _ **Oh he said beveled."**_

"Okay."

" _ **We ran through a beveled road. Vex didn't anticipate it because he's not looking at the road."**_ The doctor continues her explanation, her voice still has that weird intonation.

"Are you two okay?"

" _ **We're okay! But Vex is a little bit staggered because a cat suddenly crossed the road when we ran through the beveled road. Bo, I need to cut this call off. I'll just send you a message when we already pick up Ciara from the hospital."**_

"Yes, please do that. And tell Vex to drive safely and watch the road."

" _ **Okay Bo. See you. Bye!"**_

Bo looks at her phone, frowning.

"Bo, what happened to Lauren and Vex?" Kenzi asks.

"Lauren said they ran through a beveled road because Vex is not looking while driving."

"Maybe he didn't see that he's already driving them to the edge then bang, they ran to a ditch." Tamsin points out.

"Yeah. And Lauren also mentioned about a cat crossing the road."

"Is the cat black?" Kenzi asks. Bo raises her eyebrow. "A black cat crossing the road means bad luck Bo."

Tamsin snorts. "Do you really believe that Kenz?"

"No, but some people do." The younger brunette shrugs.

"Okay, enough about black cats and bad luck. Guests will be starting to arrive." Bo looks at the women. "Where's Bruce and Steve?"

"I told them to come at quarter to six."

The older brunette nods. "That's fine. How about Nate Kenz?"

"He'll be here at six."

"Good. So all we can do is to wait. I'll call Pops and ask if he's really going home by seven." Suddenly, they hear a car honks.

"I'll check who our first guest is." Tamsin volunteers.

Bo just nods. At the back of her mind, she's still thinking about the word that Vex uttered. _Was it really beveled?_ _Yeah, I think it's beveled and nothing else._ Why would Lauren lie to her right?

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Vex stops the car at the side road. "You think she heard?"

"Yes I think so." Lauren shakes her head and sighs. "I told you, you will slip up! And you slip up while I'm talking to her. Yey goody!" She rolls her eyes. "What will I do with you Vex?"

Vex shows his best pouting face. "I just wanted to ask if she needed us to pick up anything while we are still on the road. Lo, please forgive me!"

"Okay! And please, erase that word from your mind when we get there! Did you hear me reasoning out to her? What if she thinks that I'm lying? Beveled, for goodness sakes!" The doctor covers her face with her hands while shaking her head.

"But Lo, it's a stroke of genius! Beloved, beveled – they sound alike. Thank God you think fast. And the cat crossing the road? Perfect!"

"Well, they might just think you're an incompetent driver, that you're easily scared. We need to tell Ciara about the beveled road and the crossing cat."

"Let me do that okay?"

"You should. For now, she doesn't need to know about your slip up. Got it?"

"Yes ma'am." Vex salutes.

"Pushing it Vex."

He grins. He starts the car and safely maneuvers them back to the main road. "Lo, since you're not driving can you call Hale for me please? Ask him if he's on his way to Trick's."

"Sure." She opens her phonebook and dials Hale's number. "Hello! Hale, this is Lauren."

" _ **Hi Doc. How are you today? Feeling good because you're going to see Bo?"**_ Hales laughs softly.

"Haha Hale. I'm okay. Are you already on your way to Mr. McCorrigan's house?"

" _ **I just left our house. I'll be on my way in a few minutes. And you?"**_

"We are on our way to pick up Ciara from the hospital. And then we'll go straight to Bo's. We are going to be a little early so if you could also be there as well, your buddy here..." She looks at Vex. "... who is the designated driver will be very happy to see you."

" _ **Okay Doc. I actually wanted to talk to you about what Bo and I discussed on our drive way home early this morning..."**_

"About what?" She looks at Vex. Vex raised his eyebrow.

" _ **Don't worry, I already discussed this with Vex and Doc Ciara. You're the only one who's not in the loop Doc. You were having a deep discussion with Bo that time but it's all good."**_

"Oh."

Hale laughs. _**"**_ _ **It's okay Doc. We know that you are getting to know each other. Looks like just a little too well."**_ The officer can't help but to tease the doctor, his statement delivered with a sing song voice.

"Hale!"

He laughs a little bit louder. _**"**_ _ **On that note, I got to go Doc. I'll see you all there! Tell Vex to drive safely and get you to Bo's house in one piece."**_

"Okay I'll tell him. Take care Hale!" She smiles at her best friend. "Hale wanted to tell you to drive safely and get me in one piece to Bo's house."

"Uhhh special cargo!"

"Yes, that's me." She wiggles her eyebrows and laughs.

"I know. Suddenly, you have us all wrapped around your fingers huh! Charming little bugger! How do you do that?"

"Really? I'm not sure that I agree with you." The doctor frowns. "Nobody notices me."

Vex laughs. "That's where you are wrong darling! Everybody notices you. You are the one who doesn't realize that. You know why? Because you don't let everyone in, you are on your own little world. Sometimes you have a tunnel vision. But I tell you this, not because I am your best friend okay? You are a beautiful person and you are charming when you really put an effort into it. Remember last night Lo? Do you want me to remind you what happened, hmm?"

The doctor huffs. "Fine. But I will be turning a corner very soon. I promised myself that." She smiles at her best friend. "And thank you for telling me I'm beautiful. I need the ego boost."

"You're welcome. And I'm happy for you."

"Thank you. So ready to pick up Ciara?"

"I am." Vex smiles at Lauren and drives the car to the road that will lead them to the hospital.

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 **Yale New Haven Hospital**

Ciara is outside of the hospital near the waiting area when she sees Dr. Adam Carlo and Nurse Miranda Hamilton talking on the lobby. She's thankful that she is partially hidden at that moment and she can gaze at them without been seen. It looks like the meeting is sudden and unexpected but there's a certain familiarity between them, like they've been doing it for a long time and in a regular basis. In her place at the waiting area, Ciara looks at the redhead nurse. She is quite tensed and distracted and is holding her cellphone like a lifeline. She's also holding a large gym bag. On the other hand, the doctor is cool and collected although not oblivious at his companion's emotional state at that moment. The conversation is quick and awkward and Ciara is quite shocked that the redhead nurse passed by her and is already entering a taxi cab. "That was quick." Fortunately, it looks like her ride has already arrived. For a quick moment, she looks at the lobby if Dr. Carlo is still there but it seems that the doctor has other plans too. She enters the car as soon it stops in front of her.

"Thank God, you're already here." She exclaims.

"Why, what happened?" Lauren asks her.

"I just witnessed an awkward reunion of sorts between Dr. Carlo and Nurse Hamilton."

Vex turns around from his seat and looks at Ciara. "Really? So it seems Percy was telling the truth."

"And from what I've seen, they know each other very well."

Lauren nods. "You need to tell Bo and Hale of what you've seen. Do you see anything suspicious other than they seem to know each other well?"

"Huh, now that you ask yeah. I was already outside waiting for you guys but then I heard Dr. Carlo calling Nurse Hamilton."

"What did he call her?"

"He called her Nurse Hamilton. Nothing suspicious about that but when I looked at her, she was frozen in her place. It's like a deer in the headlights reaction. And she was holding her cellphone tightly, like a lifeline. She didn't want to be there. And she's holding a large gym bag."

Vex frowns. "Yeah that was suspicious."

"Oh and she was fidgeting, she was making these small movements with her fingers. She actually ran from Dr. Carlo. She just entered a cab when you arrived. It was a quick exit."

"Hmmm."

Vex looks at his best friend. "What are you thinking Lo?"

"Well I was thinking that if it's really true that Nurse Hamilton has something to do with what happened to Nadia and she was really Percy Saunder's spy and at the same time, Nadia's lover... all her actions, all what Ciara saw... it's like she's running for her life."

Ciara and Vex widen their eyes.

"Well if it's true so she can be imprisoned too?" Ciara asks.

"I think so. We can ask Bo and Hale."

Vex honks twice and quickly drives out from the hospital premises.

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"They're on their way." Bo blows a breath while looking at her cellphone.

"Well it's already 5:20 so I think they're on time." Kenzi looks at her watch.

"Yeah. Hale is with them. Looks like they talked before coming here. They met somewhere and are now having a convoy. Hale said he and Vex are transporting special cargo." The officer smiles at the sentiment.

"Special cargo?" Tamsin looks at Kenzi. "Oh I got it." She then slaps her forehead.

Kenzi rolls her eyes. "Oh thank God you got it. I thought I will have to explain it to you."

The blonde slaps the younger brunette's arm. Kenzi grins.

Their eyes diverted to the front lawn when they heard a couple of honks.

"Looks like our special guests are already here." Tamsin winks at Bo.

Bo hurriedly exits the front door to welcome the guests but she suddenly stops and lets out a breath. Then she freezes when the door of the Audi's passenger side opens and out comes the woman of her dreams. Her breath hitches as the doctor runs her fingers through her hair, checks herself at the side mirror and puts a dashing smile into her face. Bo looks up and down the blonde's attire and can't help but to admire how the jeans fit her, making her long legs longer if that's possible. _And that ass, wow!_ She also looks at her top. Bo can't imagine the doctor wearing that but she definitely rocks it. Well for her, Lauren is perfect so where can she go wrong right? Then finally looking at the shoes, she shakes her head and smiles. _She's wearing a high cut white Chuck Taylor's, that's cute! She's adorable. Maybe I should kiss her again._ She smirks.

Although not as excited as Bo, her two best friends also come out to meet their guests. Kenzi whispers to the tall blonde, "Are we already looking at the special cargo?"

Tamsin stares hard at the woman who comes out of the car. She immediately knows who she is. "The Lauren Lewis we saw on the website grew into that! Oh my God, she's hot hot hot!" Tamsin exclaims, her jaws dropping. "Bo's very lucky."

"You're drooling Tam. Stop it. If Bo sees you like that..." Kenzi warns. "Ewwww you're like a hungry diner looking at a medium rare steak." She punches Tamsin's arm.

"But look at her Kenz, look at her!" She hisses.

"I know! I have eyes. I can see that she's beautiful and very attractive even though I don't swing that way. But yeah I can't blame Bo being gaga over her!"

From the moment she came out of the car, Lauren feels the scrutiny and suddenly likens herself to a fish inside an aquarium. Although she's not the only fish in it, she feels that she's the only rainbow fish in an aquarium full of gold fishes. She breathes deeply and looks up. _You can do this Lauren!_ She's not surprised when she sees Bo already looking at her, smiling widely and eyes sparkling. _Why is she that happy to see me?_ She stands straight and starts to walk towards the officer. Her focus is on Bo that she doesn't hear the other doors of the car open simultaneously, Vex and Ciara coming out of them. She doesn't hear Hale calling out to Vex, doesn't hear them laugh, and doesn't hear Ciara quips that she abandon them just to see Bo. At that moment, nothing is more important than to see and be with her beloved.

So when she finally comes to her cherished destination, she thinks of her mantra – _Go big or go home!_ She engulfs the surprised officer into a hug and kisses her on the cheek, lingering her lips on Bo's soft skin. The moment she feels that the officer returns the hug, she closes her eyes just to capture the moment in her mind, counts up to five and slowly leans back from the embrace. When she turns her head to look at Bo, what she sees amazes her. Bo's eyes are closed but her mouth is curved into a wide smile, her dimples in full force. She can't help herself but to utter, "My God, you're beautiful."

Bo opens her eyes when she hears what Lauren says. "What did you say?"

"I said you're beautiful." She smiles, her thumb removing the remnants of her lip balm.

"Oh, thank you." The brunette blushes. She clears her throat. "You look amazing as well."

"Thank you Officer Dennis." She holds the officer's arm, suddenly feeling confident. "So how's your day? Been busy decorating and all?"

"You got it. We were all busy arranging the furniture, putting up the decorations and making sure that all our preparations are not done in futile. We have been planning this party for months now!"

The doctor grins at the brunette's enthusiasm, has something to say about it when suddenly Vex speaks up. "Hey Bo, we're also here. Can we come now or are you two going to be at it until it's time to party?" He then turns to Hale laughing and they do a high five.

Both women's faces redden like they were caught doing something naughty. Lauren glares at Vex. Vex raises his hand with a peace sign.

Ciara raises her eyebrow. "Did I really see that earlier, when Lauren hugged and kissed Bo on the cheek?"

"Yes Doc. It was actually Lauren's way of manning up after Bo's shenanigans early this morning. Bo did that too but in her case, she kissed Lauren on the temple." Hale relates.

"Really? Oh my God these two!" Ciara claps her hands.

Vex shakes his head. "So while they are still on it, Hale did you bring our betting table? We need to talk about it when these two are not looking."

Hale nods. "I'm thinking about that. I will need to recruit Trick into this. We need him to distract them later." He points at Bo and Lauren.

"Hey that's a good strategy." Ciara agrees.

"I agree. So Hale, can you please help me carry the items that we brought? Ci, can you take hold of the bottle of Tullamore Dew please?" Ciara nods. "Thank you." Vex smiles at her. "I'll carry the lasagna while you..." He looks at Hale. "... carry the cake."

"Wow what?! The doc made lasagna?" The officer widen his eyes.

"Yup." Vex slaps Hale's shoulder. "Lucky you, you will taste her best pasta ever! She already perfected it. She can make lasagna with her eyes closed." He chuckles.

"Oh wow. They are really a perfect combination!" The officer exclaims.

"What, the pasta and the cake?"

"No dude, Bo and Lauren! Bo has a list of her favorite pasta dishes and her numero uno is lasagna! Bo will be over the moon! The doctor's carbonara has already eased on her top 5 pasta dishes, she told me. Ask her about it."

Vex grins.

On the other side, Tamsin and Kenzi are shocked beyond belief when they saw the doctor hugged and kissed Bo.

"Whoa! Did you see that? Looks like our BoBo is not the only one going gaga but the doctor as well." The young brunette chuckles.

"Yeah I know! I was like maybe I need to change my bet to an earlier date because these two are obviously smitten with each other. I didn't expect that." Tamsin pokes Kenzi. "Let's go there so we could take a closer look at the doctor."

"Oh so now you like a closer look huh! Tell me, are you going to be like this today? Or do I need to tell Bo that you are ogling at Lauren? I saw how you look at her." Kenzi glares at the tall blonde.

"No I'm not. I'm just admiring, nothing else." Tamsin looks away. "Maybe just a little tiny crush, that's all."

"Oh my God!" The young brunette taps her forehead. "You and Hale!"

"What do you mean me and Hale?"

"Hale is also crushing on the hot doctor!"

Tamsin chuckles. "So how do you feel about that?"

Kenzi frowns. "How does it relate to me?"

"Hale..."

"Tamsin, I am with Nate now. I thought you are Nate's friend." The young brunette slaps her best friend's arm. "Please don't let him hear you say that!"

The tall blonde puts her hand across her heart. "Promise Kenz." She smiles. "C'mon."

They walk towards Bo and Lauren, who at that time are talking animatedly to each other. Then the officer suddenly laughs. And the doctor follows.

"Uh Bo." Kenzi pokes the officer, who is still laughing while holding her stomach. "What's happening here?"

"Oh Lauren is telling me some doctor jokes. I just can't..." She laughs again. "I'm so sorry..." She looks at the doctor. "... but that's really funny."

"Thank you," the doctor replies, smiling widely.

Kenzi clears her throat and looks pointedly at Bo.

Bo's eyes widen and sobers up. "Oh yeah! Lauren, here are my best friends Kenzi and Tamsin. They are my annoying and hard headed younger sisters. Kenz, Tam this is Lauren."

Lauren shakes both women's hands and smiles. "Hi Kenzi, Tamsin I'm happy that I finally meet the two of you."

"Me too Doc. Bo has been talking about you incessantly. She said your carbonara is one of the best that she has ever eaten and she really loves your pies, especially the pumpkin custard one. Our Bo here really loves food. I think you know that now Doc since you've already seen her eat." Kenzi grins. "Aren't you turned off? She really eats a lot especially when she's tired and hungry."

Bo glares at the younger brunette. "Oh thank you Kenzi for ruining my image to Lauren!" She looks at the doctor. "Annoying, see?"

Lauren laughs. "Kenzi, I already saw Bo eat when she was tired and hungry so I have an idea. I'm not turned off. I actually find it cute, especially when I saw her devour those three choco butternut doughnuts in one sitting." She winks at the officer, who is blushing profusely.

"Oh I already like you Doc!" The younger brunette claps her hands. "I'm liking this day more and more!"

The officer scoffs. She then turns her head to Tamsin. "What, are you not going to join them?"

"Later! I'm enjoying the banter." The taller blonde turns her head, smiling dazzlingly at the other blonde. "Hey Doc, we are glad that Bo has invited you to Trick's birthday party."

"Thank you Tamsin. I'm also glad to be here."

Bo raises her eyebrow. She looks at Lauren and Kenzi. "Excuse us for a minute." She pats Tamsin's arm and signals the tall blonde to follow her. She then signal Kenzi to distract the doctor for a while.

"What, I'm just being nice." Tamsin shrugs.

"You're not that nice to new people." She stares at her best friend. "Oh please don't tell me..." Bo hisses at her.

"Don't worry, as I told Kenzi, it's just a little crush."

"What?!" She faces the blonde, placing her arms across her chest.

"It's not my fault that she's looking like that... Dr. McHottie wow!"

Bo can't believe what she's hearing right now.

"Hey the two of you, stop that. We have other guests." Kenzi hollers while walking with Lauren towards Vex, Ciara and Hale.

The older brunette reluctantly stops the confrontation, telling herself to behave and be a good host. She treads fast to follow Kenzi and Lauren. Upon seeing Vex, Ciara and Hale she smiles widely. "Hi Vex and Ciara, thanks for coming. I really do appreciate it." She hears Hale clear his throat. "You too partner of course." She pats Hale's shoulder. "Vex, Ciara meet my best friends. This one is Kenzi. The one approaching us is Tamsin." She waits for Tamsin to join them. "Kenz, Tam this is Vex and Ciara, Lauren's friends and housemates." Then she sees the box and container that Vex and Hale are holding. "What are those?"

"Hale is holding the cake that I baked for Trick. And this one..." Vex looks down at the container he is holding. "...is Lauren's gift to your grandfather. And I think we need to enter your house right now so we could put these in your kitchen."

Bo turns to look at Lauren. "You shouldn't have. The cake is enough."

The doctor smiles at the officer. "It's okay Bo. And besides, it's your grandfather's birthday. And you invited us."

Vex interrupts. "And Bo, you will be happy to know that it's your favorite."

"Really?" Bo's eyes widen and claps. "How do you know it's my favorite?"

"Hale told me just now. Do you want to know what it is?"

"I want it to be a surprise. So let's go inside the house. C'mon. You are the first guests to arrive."

Hale sees Kenzi, smiling shyly while trying to catch her attention. "Hi Kenzi."

"Hi Hale. How are you? You've been busy, we haven't seen each other much nowadays." She punches his arm lightly.

"I know. I'm so sorry." He looks down.

"It's okay." She sighs. "Can I talk to you later, just the two of us please? I have something to tell you."

"Okay Kenz, just give me a signal and I'll be there." He can sense the trepidation coming from his friend. It is also frightening for him but he hides his fear with a grin.

"Talk to you later." She lets him walk ahead of her. She waits for a while, looking down at her shoes. _I need alcohol for that talk later._ With a frown, she walks towards the house.

Lauren immediately notices the grand piano in the living room when she entered the house and asks, "Who knows how to play the piano?"

"It's Kenzi Lauren." Bo replies.

"Really? That's nice. Does she play often?"

"Yes but she's usually in her room when she does. That piano hadn't seen the light of day until now."

The younger brunette enters the house and notices Lauren is eyeing the piano. "Do you also play Doc?"

The doctor turns to face Kenzi. "Unfortunately no. But my twin brother does. How old are you when you start playing?"

"I was six years old when my parents enrolled me at the music school. At first I thought I wouldn't like it but I learned to love it as I played my first few pieces. I appreciated it more when I realized that I am good at it."

"That's great. My brother started to play when we were five years old. He also learned to love it especially when he started to play in recitals."

"I also loved recitals. Doc, how come you didn't learn to play the piano?"

"Well since my brother had chosen to learn to play the piano, I chose to learn to play the violin instead."

"Wait, you're telling me you know how to play the violin?" Kenzi's eyes widen and grins.

"Yes I am and yes I do." The doctor's eyes sparkle when she sees the excitement in the younger woman's eyes.

"Oh my God, you're like heaven sent Doc!" She looks at Bo and exclaims, "Bo, Lauren knows how to play the violin!"

Bo smiles at the younger brunette's enthusiasm. "Yes I heard you talking about it." Then she looks at the doctor. "That's great Lauren. How old when you started playing it?"

"The same as my brother did with the piano. We were five when we persuaded by our parents to learn how to play an instrument."

"Do you love it?"

"Yeah. I think Kenzi, my brother and I shared the same sentiments about recitals. I love it especially when I started to play the sonatas and concertos. They were hard at first but I practiced almost every day so it's very rewarding when I hear myself play and I liked what I'm hearing. I used to record myself."

"Hey me too! My piano teacher taught me to do that. He says it's one way of measuring yourself with your own standards, your mentor's and the audience."

"Yeah I think it is just normal for musicians to record themselves. I used to do that too." Bo points out.

Lauren turns her head to Bo when she heard the officer's statement. "And what instrument do you play Officer Dennis?"

"Well Doctor Lewis, I have been playing the guitar since I was nine years old. And yes I love it! Every time I try to play a new song or piece, there is this burning desire that I feel inside you know..." She looks at the doctor and her best friend while pointing at her chest. "... especially when I watched or heard someone play this particular song or piece that I liked and I wanted to learn how to play that song in that very minute. But the problem is I can't so what will I do?"

"You need to stop for a minute. Take a deep breath and ask yourself – how much do you like the song?" Lauren answers seamlessly. "Then if you really like it, what's next? You will ask yourself, is the song popular or not? Because if it's not then you need to research further. But if it's popular, you can just go to a music shop and buy the music sheet."

"Or go to a website where you can download the music sheet for free." Kenzi points out.

Bo and Lauren looks at her, aghast.

"What? I know a few sites where I can do that." The younger brunette grins.

"Blah, blah, blah. What are you talking about?" Vex asks while sitting at the couch near the grand piano. He looks at Lauren and says, "Lo, when are you going to heat up the lasagna? The cake is already safe inside the refrigerator, thanks to Tamsin." He smiles at the tall blonde. "The whiskey is placed on the gift table. All is set."

"Wait what?! Lauren's gift to Pops is a big container of lasagna?" Bo's eyes widen.

"See Vex? I told you!" Hale laughs. "And the cake looks good too. Good job bro!" He high fives Vex.

"Baking chocolate cakes is my expertise just like Lo's is making that delicious cheesy lasagna."

"Vex's chocolate cakes are better than mine so yeah, he's the expert. Oh the lasagna, heating would take twenty minutes so maybe six thirty? We just need to melt the cheese." Lauren nods.

"Can we stop talking about the food? Because I'm already salivating here." Tamsin grins.

Ciara chuckles then quickly sobers up. "Yeah maybe we should talk about something else." She looks at Vex and Lauren. They both nod at her.

Upon hearing Ciara's statement, they decide to sit at the couches. Bo strategically sits beside Lauren, the action not missed by Kenzi and Tamsin. Kenzi just shakes head while smiling. Tamsin snorts. Bo is cheering inside her head.

"Oh yeah. Bo, Hale..." Lauren looks at the police officers. "... Ciara has something to tell you about Dr. Carlo and Nurse Hamilton. I know this is Mr. McCorrigan's birthday party but I think it's important that you know what Ciara saw earlier at the hospital." She says apologetically.

Bo dismisses Lauren's apology while patting the doctor's arm. "It's okay Lauren. We are here to socialize and talk among ourselves. And I'm really curious about what Doc Ciara saw at the hospital."

"Me too." Hale leans forward on his seat.

"Us too." Kenzi points to herself and Tamsin. "But we don't know who Dr. Carlo and Nurse Hamilton are."

Hale looks at Bo, asking for her permission. "Tell them Hale." Bo smiles.

Hale tells Kenzi and Tamsin about Dr. Adam Carlo and Nurse Miranda Hamilton and how they are involved with his and Bo's current case.

"Wow BoBo, your case seems to be getting more complicated! And I'm intrigued with those two. There's something fishy about them."

"I know. And I can feel that this is just the start. So Doc, what did you see earlier?" The brunette officer looks at Ciara, encouraging her to tell them the story.

"Well while I was waiting for Lauren and Vex to pick me up from the hospital, I saw Dr. Carlo and Nurse Hamilton at the hospital lobby. I was partially hidden from them so I think they didn't see me." She then relates what she saw. She concludes her narration by saying, "And as Lauren said, Miranda looked like she was running for her life. She seemed very agitated."

Bo leans forward, obviously in her serious police persona, and turns to her partner. "What do you think Hale?"

Hale nods. "Yeah I agree. And partner we can now conclude that they know each other very well. That kind of familiarity with each other was not developed over night but was formed and created by constant talks and meetings right?"

"Yeah. So why did she dismiss Dr. Carlo at the end? And why did she refuse to talk to her friend? I'm using the term 'friend' loosely here because I don't know how to label their relationship for now." Bo shrugs.

"Why not co-conspirators?" Vex suggests.

"Yeah, that's a good term. Very good Vex." Bo smiles at him.

"Thank you Bo." The businessman tilts his head and bows.

"Now Doc Ci, what else did you see that made you suspicious?" Bo continues to question Ciara.

Ciara just stares ahead, thinking hard.

Lauren turns her head to her friend. "Ci, tell her about what Nurse Hamilton was holding in her two hands."

"Oh yeah! She was holding a large gym bag. And then when Dr. Carlo was talking to her, I think she received a text message because she looked down at her cellphone for a moment. Then after doing that, she just ran towards the exit. She didn't look back. Then a taxi came and she hurriedly entered it, like someone was chasing her. When I looked at the hospital lobby again to see if Dr. Carlo was still there, he was gone."

"A large gym bag?"

"I think what happened was she gathered all her things from the locker and shoved them in the bag." Tamsin points out. "Yeah, she's going to run." The others nod in agreement.

"And the message in the cellphone? I think she has a contact that she recently reached out to and she was waiting for the reply. And I think it has something to do with this case, I can feel it." She looks at Ciara. "Doc, when she was talking to Dr. Carlo did she look guilty?"

"Yes. She was fidgeting with the handle of the gym bag and she can't look at Adam's eyes. She spoke to him because I saw her lips moved but she really was focused on the cellphone in her hand."

Bo nods. "I think Dr. Carlo ask her about Nadia. So if we follow that train of thought, it means she and Nadia already talked. Her demeanor shows guilt over something that she did." She looks at her partner. "Hale, we need to inform Sergeant Smith about this. We can't afford not to talk to Nurse Hamilton first thing tomorrow. She really is a big player on this case. And she may run."

"I'm afraid of that too. I'll call Sergeant Smith now. Excuse me." Hale pulls out his phone from his pocket and exits the front door.

Vex frowns. "If I were her, I'll clear my name. I'll come clean to the police. If she really was Percy's spy, I'll tell all the details and turn myself as a witness to the prosecution to further indict Percy to his crimes. Can she do that Bo?"

Bo leans back, mulling over Vex's question. "Prosecutors will give immunity to a person who has committed minor crimes in order to compel that person to testify against someone who has committed more significant offenses. If ever Nurse Hamilton will go forward as a witness to the prosecution, she isn't necessarily in the clear. The prosecution can still go after her. Even if she is granted immunity, it is limited in how the prosecution can use her testimony in the future. What if she change her mind and refuses to testify after being given immunity? She can be held in contempt of court and subjected to fines and jail time. Even if she testifies, the prosecution must prove that the testimony given by this witness is related to the current charges. In other words, this immunity has a catch and certain rules can come into play."

"Bollocks! Okay, I change my mind. I'll run too!" Vex scowls.

"If Nurse Hamilton is really on the run, then I'm sad for her family." Lauren mumbled. "From what I know, she has four siblings and she's the eldest. Her mother is the only living parent. Her father died when she was still young. And she's the breadwinner of her family. I think the reason why she became a spy was because of them."

"Yeah that's kinda sad." Tamsin adds.

The group fall into companionable silence when Hale joins them, a frown on his face.

"What did Sergeant Smith say?" Bo asks her partner.

"Well thank God, the higher ups is focusing on this case. I think Lieutenant Jenkins has something to do with it. When Percy Saunders mentioned Miranda Hamilton's name, Sergeant Smith, together with Detective Wilkins, confronted him further and that led him to tell the sergeant that she is his spy. After that, he started a 24-hour surveillance on her. Doc Ci, you did not notice him because he's on plainclothes but one of ours is posted in Yale Hospital." He looks at his partner. "It's Torres." He also looks at Lauren and Vex. "He's the officer that accompanied me in the basement at Nadia's house." He then continues his story about the talk with Sergeant Smith. "He saw the interaction of Nurse Hamilton with Dr. Carlo and was already reported to Sergeant Smith. But because I told him that we theorized that she may be on the run, he will add another body to the surveillance. The spy may slip, he said. And partner, he's hinting an out-of-state work for the two of us." Hale relates.

"What? Why?"

The tall black officer sighs. "It's confirmed Bo. Percy Saunders has another wife. She's currently living in Dover, Delaware. We may need to go there to talk to her. Her name is Michelle Mathis. She and Saunders are already married for 6 years."

"Son of a bitch!" Vex exclaims. "Percy Saunders is really a piece of shit, scum of the earth. Poor Nadia!"

Lauren turns to Bo. "Bo when you talked to Nadia, did she ever give you a hint that she knew Percy has another wife?"

Bo thinks hard. "No she did not. Right Hale?"

Hale shakes his head. "No. Why Doc?"

"Well I'm just thinking that if she knew Percy has a wife in Delaware and she still married him, will she be liable for that?

Bo's eyes widen. "I'm not sure. All I know is that the act of bigamy is a crime and the marriage to the second spouse is subject to annulment, as well as civil and criminal consequences in some cases. But the laws and punishments regarding bigamy vary by jurisdiction. I'm not sure about Connecticut. I need to review that. But one thing is for sure, once the marriage of Percy Saunders to Michelle Mathis is proven legal and binding, the first wife can file a case against him. He can face up to five years in prison for that." She then stops, a detail in the case gnawing in her brain. "Maybe that's the reason why they are secretly married! Percy Saunders looked like he convinced Dr. Woods that they married secretly without her knowing the true motive behind it." She sighs, looking at her partner. "Hale, I think we need to talk to her again."

Her partner nods. "Yeah. Maybe tomorrow? But we also need to speak to Dr. Carlo, Nurse Henderson, Nurse Hamilton and Dr. Woods' parents."

"Just thinking about it makes my head hurts but it's inevitable." She closes her eyes. "Oh the reports that needs to be encoded and signed!"

Hale sighs. "And one more thing..."

"What?" Bo asks incredulously.

"We are going to meet the prosecutor tomorrow for the briefing of the case with the District Attorney's office. And yeah Percy Saunders will be finally transferred to the correctional center first thing in the morning."

"At least I heard some good news!" She sighs.

Then they heard a car honk outside.

"Those are the flowers I think!" Tamsin exclaims. "And the two Gertrudes!"

"Are there many of them? Can we help?" Vex stands from the couch and taps Hale on his shoulder to follow him outside.

Kenzi gasps while looking out from the window. "BoBo, did you buy all the flowers in old Gertrude's shop? That's a lot of flowers!" She waves her hand at the delivery van parked in front of their house full of different kinds of flowers that one can think of.

"Of course not! I only ordered the flowers that we need, just enough to decorate the living room..." Bo's surprise is palpable. "What the hell!" She hurriedly exits the house towards the van.

Lauren, Tamsin, Kenzi and Ciara follows her.

They see Vex and Hale hauling large bouquets of roses, sunflowers, daisies, peonies and lilies.

"I didn't order sunflowers! And what are those big ones?" Bo exclaims.

"Those are peonies Bo." Ciara answers. "Peonies are my favorite flowers."

"Did you know that partially cooked and sweetened petals of a peony are consumed as dessert in China? Fresh petals can be consumed in the form of salad or used as garnish for lemonade." Lauren points out.

"That's good to know Doc." Kenzi pipes in. The taller blonde doctor smiles at her.

Kenzi then whispers to Bo. "She's beautiful but still a nerd." Bo glares at her.

Tamsin looks at Lauren. "Doc, what is your favorite flower?" She then winks at Bo. The brunette crosses her arms across her chest, throwing stink eyes at her blonde best friend.

Oblivious to the tension between Bo and Tamsin, Lauren replies, "Tulips and calla lilies are my favorite flowers. What are yours?"

"Uh not really into flowers Doc but you can give me roses anytime and it's fine with me."

Lauren just smiles at her.

Bo huffs loudly, her temper flaring but decides not to comment.

Ciara notices the tension so she smiles and asks, "How about you Bo, what is your favorite flower?"

"Unlike Tamsin, I don't like roses..." She glares at the tall blonde. "...because I find them very ordinary. I love orchids and irises though."

Lauren grins at the brunette officer. "Oh those are lovely choices Bo! Did you know that the vanilla flavoring is derived from orchids? There are 110 species of orchids that belong to the genus _Vanilla_ , but the primary source of the flavoring comes from the Mexican species, flat-leaved vanilla or _Vanilla planifoli._ On the other hand, the iris flowers are named after Iris, the goddess of the rainbow in Ancient Greek mythology. I think it is appropriate because these flowers come in all the colors of the spectrum, except for red. Some irises have a dark, red brown color but there are no bright red irises." She suddenly stops. "And for the record, I also don't like roses. I specifically don't like their smell."

"That's good to know Doctor." Bo's statement echoes Kenzi's earlier remark but this time, she says it with a wide smile. The smile fades into a frown when the tall blonde turns to Lauren again.

"Oh, oh yeah I agree. Roses don't smell good. Doc, you can give me sunflowers instead. The colors are vivid and they look alive. Look at them!" Tamsin waves her hand to the bouquets of sunflowers.

"Yeah I agree, those sunflowers look good." Lauren nods her head.

Kenzi shakes her head, leaning on the tall blonde's personal space. "You really like living on the edge Tam. What are you doing? Look at her! You know what will happen to you if you keep on badgering her right?"

Tamsin looks at Bo's rigid stance. "Nah, I'm just messing with her! She'll get over it."

"Don't say I didn't warn you girl."

Lauren finally notices that Bo is tensed and not smiling so she walks towards the officer. She puts her hand on the brunette's shoulder. "Bo are you alright?"

Bo sighs. "I'm okay. I just got overwhelmed with the flowers. I didn't order those! Then Tamsin..."

"Well you told me they are your annoying little sisters. And I think she's just being nice to me."

The officer smiles a little. "I know she's just messing with me... but this is not the day to do that!" _And of course, you don't know that she has a crush on you! Hale then Tamsin... who else?_

The doctor rubs the officer's back. "Okay relax. Close your eyes Bo then take slow, deep breaths." When she sees Bo is doing what she says, she turns to Kenzi, Tamsin and Ciara. "Guys, do you have a gum or maybe a piece of chocolate that Bo can chew on? Both can lower the cortisol level, a hormone that causes stress."

Kenzi elbows Tamsin. "Give up a piece of your gums. You cause her stress."

"Sure, here Doc."

Lauren nods her thanks, gives the gum to Bo and says, "Chew on that then we can walk for a little while or are you ready to talk to the old lady who is eyeing you right now?"

Bo nods while chewing the gum and smiles at the doctor. "I'm okay now Lauren. Thank you. So yeah, let me introduce you to the crazy old lady who is delivering the flowers and the owner of the flower shop." They both walk towards old Gertrude Abbott.

"And they are gone!" Kenzi turns to Tamsin. "What are you trying to prove here?" She looks at Ciara. "Doc, sorry about this one. She's really annoying sometimes, stress on annoying."

Ciara laughs. "Looks like she really loves messing with Bo."

"I do because I always get a reaction from her... stress on always!"

"Yes you do. But now, she has the Doc to help her relax so I don't think you can do that again unless you can separate them from each other because look at that, Bo is going to introduce the Doc to the double G's. I want to see this." Kenzi rubs her two hands.

"Who are they?" Ciara inquires.

"We call them the double G's or double Gertrudes. The old lady is the owner of the flower shop named Gertrude's Garden. The shop is just around the corner. The younger one is her granddaughter, whose name is also Gertrude, her little helper." Kenzi explains.

"And both Gertrudes have soft spots for both McCorrigans too." Tamsin grins.

"Doc Ciara doesn't have to know that." The young brunette shakes her head.

Ciara laughs. "No it's okay. Bo is crushable."

"Don't tell me Doc..." Kenzi narrows her eyes.

"No. I'm just saying that Bo is totally crushable. Look at that swagger! But still no. I won't go there unless I'm single which I am not! Besides, I don't swing that way so... Tamsin, I understand you crushing on Lauren, she's been a heartthrob since our early Yale days! She just refused to notice those people gawking at her you know? If she has noticed them all, I don't think she'll be single right now. But she's not that kind of person. She's easy on the eyes. And so does Bo!"

The young brunette nods. "I actually understand why Lauren is such a heartthrob, you could see it from afar. Aside from her physical attributes, she has this open and friendly personality. I thought she will be intimidating. But all I can see is quiet confidence on every action she makes and every word she speaks. And Bo, yeah she's my best friend and she's beautiful but she has this badass demeanor that makes people afraid just to look at her." Kenzi declares.

"I think that's part of her being a cop. Especially when she's talking to a suspect, the badass personality surely is taking over every time. And I know the police station in District 9 is full of male cops. I think Bo is just protecting herself. Although she has a protective partner in Hale, she still wants to let them know that she's not that easily intimidated by her male colleagues." Tamsin points out. "But other than that, Bo is easy to talk to when the company is friendly and familiar."

Ciara looks at Bo's best friends. "Kenzi, Lauren is not always that confident. She can still be shy and awkward sometimes. I remember when we first met in Yale. We were assigned to the same residential college so we basically see each other every day for our first four years here in New Haven. She's only 16 years old that time and she's this pretty but scrawny girl with such innocence that I hardly believe has three boys for best friends." She laughs. "That's the reason why I stuck to her. I thought I need to protect her. Then we became very good friends. She outgrew herself. She became this beautiful woman with a sense of calm self-confidence and authenticity who others are drawn towards instinctively. But then again, even when she's still the shy and awkward teenager back then, people wanted to be near her. That's the reason why she didn't go out much. She studied on the college's library and she just went out if she's with me, Vex and Emily."

"Who is Emily?" Tamsin asks.

"Oh she's one of our very good friends when we were still living inside Yale. Vex and Emily were on the same residential college. It's just the four of us then – three 18 year old and one 16 year old adolescents." The doctor remembers wistfully.

"How was it back then?"

"Well since I was with Lauren and she's really heavy on studying, oh my God..." Ciara chuckles. Kenzi and Tamsin grins. "...we usually study in the library and in our room. Really, with the heavy books and stuff. She's already highly intelligent, really cerebral but God, she still study and read that much! But I am really thankful that I stuck with her because she's a planner. She knew the schedule of my exams so she knew when I had to study for every subject. She had always reminded me when I forgot. We had different pre-med degrees but on the first two years, we basically had the same subjects so we had the same classes. It was very challenging but I got through those four years, thanks to her. She was the best study partner ever."

Ciara's story is interrupted when she sees Vex and Hale approaching them.

"So what are you talking about you three?" Vex asks while rubbing her arms.

"Why are you rubbing your arms?" The doctor asks in return.

Hale replies with a frown. "Uh Doc, those flowers are really heavy. Good thing Bruce and Steve already arrived. They said we leave the task to them and they will continue what we're doing. They carried them like they're nothing. They are still hauling them though." They all look towards the van and see the imposing twins still doing the job of carrying all those flowers out of it.

"So they are doing it again?" Vex groans.

"Who's doing what again?" Tamsin looks at him, puzzled by his question.

"Oh them!" He waves his hand towards Bo and Lauren. "I'll explain in a meanwhile. But can we go inside so we could also talk about the betting table? Time is ticking guys. We need to talk among ourselves while the 'lovebirds' are still busy. C'mon." He turns his back from them and they all follow him towards the house.

"What betting table are we talking about?" Kenzi asks Hale while reaching out to his arm, stopping his stride.

"Vex and I will explain it to you guys. We need to go inside now." He touches her back to encourage her to move.

On the other side, Bo is introducing Lauren to the two Gertrudes. "Mrs. G, Little G this is my friend Lauren Lewis. Lauren, this is Gertrude Abbott. She's the owner of the flower shop where these amazing flowers came from. The flower shop's name is Gertrude's Garden. And this is her granddaughter, Gertrude Hardy."

"Hi Lauren. It is really nice meeting you. I am looking forward to meeting new and young people like you." Mrs. G grasps the doctor's hand. "My, you have warm hands." She stares at the blonde's eyes. "And your eyes, they are exquisite. You are a beautiful human being dear."

Lauren blushes while shaking the old woman's hands. "Oh I... thank you Mrs. G. It's also nice meeting you. I love the flowers. But how come you have these flowers when it's already fall and they appear so fresh?" She frowns, curiosity evident in her face.

"Trade secret." The old woman winks at her. "But I will tell you later."

The doctor's smile widens. "Okay Mrs. G, we'll talk about that later." She turns to the younger woman. "Hi Little G." She shakes her hand. "Uh do you prefer that or do you have other nicknames?"

The young brunette just stares at her while shaking the doctor's hand. Her grandmother takes notice of her behavior and starts chastising her. "Gertrude Hardy, when a nice lady asks you a question you need to answer right away and not just stare at her. That's a no no, young lady! And you've been shaking her hand a little bit too long. Give her hand back!"

The young Gertrude gasps, drops Lauren's hand and pouts. Her face is flushed while looking down at her feet. "I'm so sorry about that Ms. Lauren."

"It's okay Little G. Just call me Lauren. And nice meeting you."

"Nice meeting you too. How do you become friends with Bo? Are you also a police officer?" She asks shyly.

"No I am not, although we met because of our jobs."

"She's a doctor in Yale Hospital, Little G." Bo tells the younger brunette.

"Oh maybe that's the reason why your hands are warm. Doctors have warm hands." Mrs. G points out.

"I don't know about that Mrs. G but not all doctors have warm hands." Lauren smiles at the old woman. "Maybe it's the hand cream that I'm using that causes them to be warm."

"Really? Can I hold your hand?" Bo asks Lauren, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Really Officer Dennis? Any excuse to hold my hand?" Lauren teases Bo.

"I just want to know if I need to change my hand cream, that's all." Bo teases back, while reaching out for the doctor's hand.

Old Gertrude smiles at the two ladies while little G is looking at their smiling faces and joined hands.

Little G clears her throat. "Lauren, are you Bo's girlfriend?"

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 **Author's Note: I live for review. I know I promised it will be Trick's birthday but the story has written itself.**


	15. Chapter 15 - Fall 2006

**Author's Note: I realized that I made a mistake last Friday. I was going to update the story but the formatting has errors but when I was about to upload the next chapter, my internet connection broke down. So I wanted to say I'm sorry to those who received a notification that I updated but didn't see a new chapter. Although it's unintentional, I thought it was rude. I should have come back and fixed it. I'm so sorry guys! But here it is now! Maybe you all thought I'm already dead but I'm not. I just decided to write longer so I could add some chapters in this story. Please bear with me. I read a review stating that the pace is so slow. Yeah, it is but it is what it is. I can't do anything about it. I'll try to improve. I will really really try. But if you don't like it then don't read it. I can't force you. Just my two cents. I'm not being rude. I'm just giving you a choice.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Lost Girl. I just use the characters in my story.**

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 **Chapter Fifteen**

A minute of silence follows, like you can hear a pin drop. Mrs. G glares at her granddaughter who is currently scratching her head and asking herself why she blurted out that question.

Lauren recovers quickly and replies, "What? Well no..." _Not yet._ The doctor frowns and then suddenly, she smiles. "...yes I am her girl friend. Got it? Girl friend, two words. Her friend who is a girl." _Right, Lauren. How spontaneous!_ She then looks at Bo. "Right?"

Bo's shock on little G's question is evident on her face, her mouth slightly open. She looks at Lauren. "Yes you are." She then turns to the young lady. "Why do you ask that question, little G?"

The young Gertrude fiddles with her fingers, her face red with embarrassment because it looks like she made things awkward. But her voice is strong when she explains herself. "Well it's just that I can see that you're so comfortable with each other. You are smiling fondly at each other. You are holding hands like you've been doing it for a long time now." She waves her hand between the two women.

 _You can do this Bo._ "Oh well what you have said is true. We are very comfortable with each other because we are friends. Do you have friends who are girls in school little G?" Bo asks sweetly.

"Yes I have."

"Then you understand how this works right?" Bo stares hard at the young lady.

Gertrude Hardy acquiesces. "Uhuh." _But their eyes sparkle when they look at each other. I bet they don't know that."_ She looks at her grandmother and sees her knowing smile. _So these two are not aware that they are showing the world how special they are to each other. Or they are aware but they just don't want to believe it for now._ She looks at Bo and nods. _I should respect that._ "I have friends who are girls whom I'm really comfortable with. And yeah, I know what you're talking about."

"That's it." Bo breathes deeply. She looks at the doctor and smiles at her. But deep inside, she is anxious, very anxious. _Fuck, I don't need this right now. I need Lauren to be comfortable with all of these. First Tamsin, then little G. Am I being punished? I think I need a drink!_

Lauren smiles back at Bo. Then she turns her attention to little G. "I'm really a comfortable person to be with little G so it's not surprising that Bo is like that with me." She rubs Bo's back, silently telling her there's nothing to worry about. Bo nods, acknowledging the gesture.

She then turns to old Gertrude, pulling the plug for further discussion of the previous subject. "So Mrs. G, I see that you have fill up the van with different flowers. But I didn't order the sunflowers and peonies. What are those for?"

"Oh dear, your grandfather ordered those flowers two days ago. He wanted them to be delivered today."

"I see. That solves my dilemma about the flowers." She sighs, finally breathing freely. "The flowers are beautiful Mrs. G, as always. Thank you."

"No problem dear. Just don't forget to mention it to your grandfather." The old woman winks at Bo.

Bo laughs good-naturedly. "No problem Mrs. G. I got your back."

"Thank you. Little G and I will go inside now." The older Gertrude looks at Lauren. "Lauren, we'll talk later about the flowers dear."

"I'll sit with you any time you want Mrs. G." The doctor agrees. She turns around, looking at Bo. The brunette has a faraway look in her face. "What are you thinking about now Bo? If you don't mind me asking you that. I know it's kind of personal..."

Bo interrupts. "I don't mind Lauren." She looks at the doctor. "As you told little G, you are a comfortable person to be with. I agree with that. But I just wanted to know if you feel the same with me. Are you comfortable with my company? I mean..." Her voice quivers a little. She clears her throat. "...is it okay with you to be seen with me?"

The sudden change in the officer's voice captures the doctor's attention. She stares at the brunette, wondering about the last question. The brunette looks back at her, waiting for her answer. Because the need to console the woman in front of her outweighs the need to satisfy her own curiosity, she replies immediately. "Of course Bo. Why would I be here with you now if I'm not?"

Bo's heart beats loudly when she hears the doctor's answer. "Thank you Lauren. That means a lot to me." A ghost of a smile appears on her lips. She shakes her head and exhales deeply. Then she suddenly laughs, somewhat bitterly.

Lauren raises her eyebrow, puzzled by the officer's laughter. "Are you alright Bo?"

"I'm sorry Lauren. Maybe now you're thinking that I'm weird and crazy because yeah I know, I'm acting weird and crazy. Am I alright? Yes I am because you are here with me."

"Oh so you're okay." The doctor doesn't expect that answer. "But..."

"As I said, I'm a little bit weird and crazy right now." Bo shrugs.

"Just a little bit? That's not what I heard. I heard full blown weird and crazy." Lauren stares at the officer.

Bo's eyes widen. "Well I..." She suddenly turns somber.

"Is this your normal mood every day?"

The brunette wraps her arms on herself. "What if this is really my normal self? Are you going to run for the hills now?"

The blonde tilts her head. "Do you want me to?"

"No. But I can't blame you if you do..." A lump is already forming in her throat. "Because who would want weird and crazy right?" She looks down at her shoes.

"Yeah, who would want weird and crazy right?" The doctor echoes playfully, wanting to lighten the mood. "Then add control freak to the mix, wow!" She shakes her head and sighs.

Bo looks up, mixed emotions intermingle on her face – hurt, confusion, dejection, heartache.

When Lauren catches a sight of the brunette's face, she momentarily has a freak out. "Bo, oh my God I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to... I'm just messing with you!" She walks closer to Bo but she's afraid to touch her. "I'm so sorry. It's just my sense of humor sometimes is way out of line. I... I..." When the brunette still doesn't respond and just looking at her, Lauren turns her back to Bo and touches her chest near her heart. _I hurt her. It's way too soon._ Her left hand turns into a ball.

Bo starts to say something when she sees the blonde is walking away from her. "What the... seriously?!"

Lauren walks towards her car, touching the door handle to open it. The handle doesn't budge. She realizes that the car is locked and the key is with Vex. _Shit!_ She then hears Bo's voice and it is very near from where she is.

"Seriously Lauren, are you walking away from me? I thought you're okay with all of these?" Bo nearly shouts but she doesn't want to scare the doctor more.

"I'm not walking away from you."

"Really? I just saw you walk away. What are you planning to do huh? Just sit there inside your car or are you going to drive away and never come back?" Her voice hitches as she waits for the doctor's answer.

"No." A tear escapes towards the doctor's cheek. She wipes it that instant.

"Then what are you trying to do?"

Lauren clears her throat. "I'm just going inside, wait there until your grandfather arrives for the party." Her heart is beating fast.

"What? Are you serious?" She softens her voice. "Lauren, can you turn around and look at me please?"

The doctor doesn't turn around.

Bo huffs. _What? Is she more stubborn than me?_ "If I am weird, crazy and control freak then you are stubborn with a way out of line sense of humor!"

"What?" Lauren sniffs.

"I said if I am weird, crazy and control freak then you are... wait... are you crying?"

"No, I just teared up. I did not cry. It's different. I just almost cried. If I cried then I should have shed a copious amount of tears but I did not so..." The doctor crosses her arms on her chest.

"Okay fine." Bo sighs, reaches out to Lauren's arm and says, "Can you please turn around and look at me please?" Her voice has pleading lilt to it. "I'm sorry if I made you cry... uh tear up. I really hate this!"

The doctor finally turns around and slowly lifts her head to look at Bo. "No it's okay Bo. It's just that I'm easily embarrassed when I cry. I don't want people to know. That's why I walked away so you can't see." She puts her hand on Bo's hand and squeezes it gently. "And to answer your question earlier, you may be weird and crazy today but I won't run for the hills Bo. What kind of a friend am I if I do that just because you're having a bad day?"

"Still... I almost made you cry and..." The brunette is having a hard time looking at the blonde's eyes, which are tinged with uncertainty.

"Again, you're just having a bad day... and I'm sorry for my sense of humor. I was just hoping to make you smile but the opposite happened. I actually had a freak out." The blonde looks down.

"I really appreciate the effort Lauren." Bo slightly smiles. Just knowing that the doctor made an effort to make her smile, although it failed, means a lot to her.

The doctor sees the sparkle is back in the officer's eyes so she releases the breath that she's holding. "Maybe we can go inside now..."

"No." The brunette shakes her head, her voice unwavering.

"Why?"

"Your eyes are slightly red. They will know something happened. All the people in there are nosey. They will surely ask a thousand questions about what happened." She frowns. "We need to sit down first, catch some breeze. There..." Bo points the bench in the garden. "So... are we okay now?" Her voice is conspicuously hopeful.

"Yes. Just think about it as momentary lapse of judgment for both of us. "

"Okay. We are okay a while ago then it just escalated quickly." Bo shakes her head. "Can we just forget about it?"

Lauren smiles sadly at Bo. "As much as I want to, I can't. My eidetic memory won't let me."

Bo stops walking. "I'm curious, if I may ask about this memory of yours. If you want to forget about something horrible, how do you do it?"

"As I told you, even if I wanted to I can't. But I do my best to extract that memory and keep it in a box. Then I'll bury it deep into my subconscious. It's called compartmentalization."

"Oh! That works?" Bo asks, concern evident on her face.

"Yeah, sometimes!"

"Sometimes? What about the other times?" Bo scrunches her face, fearful of the doctor's answer to her question.

"That discussion requires a lot of alcohol Officer." Lauren winks at Bo, trying to lighten the subject. The doctor then looks around the bench when they reach it, halting further questions about her compartmentalization skills. "Hey, your garden is pretty. We can stay here for a little longer."

Bo just sighs, letting the doctor dictate the flow of their conversation. "It is pretty right? This is actually a joint project by me, Pops and Tamsin. Pops told us what he wanted. He described his and my grandmother's garden in Ireland and we go from there. We want to add a gate but we are still in quandary on what color it will be. What do you think?"

Lauren roams her eyes. "Well you can go with green since it is the natural theme of the garden – the grass and the leaves. But you can also go with the natural color of wood, no paint color. Just like this bench. This is a very good idea." She looks up at the arbor that goes with it. "It is a very practical use of space."

"Exactly. It goes well with flowers that climb these kind of structures." Bo points out the plants at the sides of the arbor bench. "We already planted bleeding hearts and clematis."

"Really, there are flowers named bleeding hearts?"

Bo looks at the blonde and smiles. "Yeah. I also didn't know it at first but Mrs. G said they are beautiful. Obviously, they are heart shaped flowers; their colors are red, pink, fuchsia pink and white. Clematis flowers, on the other hand, have big and colorful petals. They can be purple, maroon, pink and combination of purple and maroon. The bleeding hearts that Mrs. G got for us are red and fuchsia pink while the clematis are purple and maroon."

"Wow that would be awesome! I can't wait to see these flowers bloom in spring." The doctor looks at the pots and flower boxes. "What about the flowers in there?"

"For the flower boxes, our flower lady recommended red verbena hybrid. The flowers are red of course and she said they attract butterflies. We also have summer snapdragon which are purple in color and they smell like grapes, she said."

The doctor crosses her leg and leans on the side of the arbor. "It seems you are favoring the flowers with the same colors."

"You realized that huh?" Bo grins. "Yeah okay, I told Mrs. G I like flowers that are red, purple, fuchsia pink or any colors that are vivid. I want this garden to be alive when all the flowers bloom in spring."

"Maybe you should consider the idea of the gate with either the color green or the natural wood color so that the flowers will be the center of attraction in your garden and not the gate. And maybe you should add some yellow and orange flowers, just to balance the colors."

"Pops already thought of that. He said there should be orange flowers because it is one of the colors of the Irish flag and yellow flowers will make the garden really stand out in summer. So yeah, we also planted alstroemeria, buttercup, tulips, freesia and a whole lot of other flowers." The brunette waves her hand to the flower boxes and pots that line up the sides of the fence. "You should also look at what we did at the back garden. That's so different from this one."

"How was it different? Tell me."

"Well we made it as a vegetable and herbal garden. We planted basil, sage, mint, thyme, oregano, rosemary, parsley, dill and other herbs. There are also peas, radishes, lettuce, tomatoes..."

Lauren interrupts. "Tomatoes are fruits."

"Okay, so it's a fruit, vegetable and herbal garden." Bo winks. "Still, isn't it a good idea Doc?"

"I'm actually impressed and excited to see it."

"It will be a great idea to tell Tamsin about your proposition while you take a look at the back garden so she can further explain to you how she plan all these."

The doctor sighs. "I should have brought my scrapbook."

"You have a scrapbook?" Bo raises an eyebrow.

Lauren blushes. "Yes. Well I can't help myself. I love planning and I read online blogs about landscaping and it said that in order for me to have an idea of what I like my garden to look like, I need to make my own scrapbook. Landscaping and gardens are not my strong suits so I bought an armful of home and garden magazines. I cut the pictures of fences, arbors, gazebos and other garden structures out of the magazines and arrange them in the scrapbook. Then sometimes in weekends, I bring my scrapbook while I got acquainted with our yard by walking its perimeter all the way to the edges."

The officer's eyes widen then eventually grins, showing her dimples. "Wow Doctor Lewis, you're really serious about this."

"I am! You saw our front and back lawn Bo! It's bare. I really like to see something beautiful when I go out there every morning or when I eat on the table overlooking the front lawn."

"But you've been living in that house for 7 years... what happened?"

"I know right? But we are so busy these past years – medical school, clerkship, internship then residency." The blonde uses her hand as she counts off. "I think if Vex didn't go back to California, there would be some pots or flower boxes. But well since he was not here for four years, Ciara and I just didn't have the time to search for a landscaper. And now since I have some spare time, I like to do it for us."

"How come you have spare time? I thought you'll be busy since you still have a year on your residency." The officer's face becomes pensive.

"Technically yes I still have one year because both parts of my specialty, the clinical and laboratory can be finished in four years but I finished them in three years." The doctor looks down at her shoes.

"Wow! You're amazing Doctor." The officer's eyes widen in delight. "But if you already completed your residency, then why are you still going to the hospital?"

"I'm doing a special project for Dr. Ellis."

"So you're not a regular resident anymore?" Bo asks.

The doctor nods. "Well since I'm not board certified yet and I can't start another specialty, I'm stuck in the laboratory doing research and experiments. Yeah I'm not a regular resident. I am special." The doctor smiles smugly, slightly pushing back her shoulders.

"Yes you are special." The officer says affectionately while staring at the woman beside her. She can't help herself but to admire how beautiful her face is and how her golden locks frame it. She takes her time appreciating the doctor's honey-colored eyes, pink supple lips, straight edged nose, dimpled chin and defined jawline. "Really special."

The smug smile turns into a shy one when she realized that the brunette officer is staring at her like she's the most beautiful woman in the world. _Wow what is she doing to me?_ Her heart is beating loudly and it's overwhelming her. "Bo, you are staring."

"What?"

"I said you are staring. Do I have a dirt on my face?"

The officer just shakes her head.

"Then why...?" A drop of water on her skin captures the doctor's attention. She looks up and sees the accumulation of cumulonimbus clouds. "Uh Bo, I think it's going to rain."

Bo lets out a breath. _Saved by the rain._ She smiles widely. "Oh I love the rain."

"You love the rain just now or you really love the rain?"

"I really love the rain since I was a child Doc. When it rains, it brings me back to my childhood in New York. I love to play in the rain with my childhood best friends." The officer's eyes become wistful. "I share the love of rain with my father. I remembered one time when I was eight or nine I think, it was raining then and we were outside. My father was carrying me because he said he didn't want my shoes to get wet. Then suddenly, a song erupted from a car and he swayed with the music while I was still in his arms. I looped my arms on his neck and he danced me until the song ended. It was really a happy memory. I still have the picture of me and my dad looking at each other. My mother captured that moment with her camera while she was under an umbrella."

"That was indeed a happy memory Bo. What was the song?"

"It was You Are the Sunshine of My Life by Stevie Wonder."

"Really?"

"Really."

Lauren looks up again. "It seems the rain won't stop although it's just a drizzle."

"We can now go inside if you want. I don't want you to get sick. C'mon."

"Bo, I won't get sick just because of the rain." The doctor rolls her eyes.

"I know but if you stay wet and you catch a virus then you will get sick. Am I right or am I right?" The officer winks at her.

"Hmm maybe you just need to wear a lab coat and a stethoscope and you're good to go."

Bo pouts. "I don't know. I'm not sure if I could get away with that uniform." She laughs good-naturedly. "Why not you keep on wearing the lab coat while I turn my swag on with the police uniform."

"Turn my swag on, really?" Lauren raises her eyebrow but there's a hint of a smile in her lips.

The officer blushes. "Yeah, I got that from Hale." Suddenly, she leans towards the doctor. "Hey, you see that man over there? That's Nate, Kenzi's boyfriend."

"Oh, so that's Nate. He's heading towards us."

"Yeah. Lauren, we need to go inside now. I don't know how Hale will react. We need to be there in case something will happen. I'm not sure if Kenzi already told him." She stands from the bench, waiting for the doctor.

"Okay, let's go."

Nate waves at them, smiling. "Hi Bo." He looks at the doctor. Then he looks at Bo.

Lauren elbows the officer.

"Oh sorry, where's my manners? Nate, this is Lauren. She's my friend and she's a doctor at Yale. Lauren, this is Nate. He's Kenzi's boyfriend and one of Pops' employees at The Dahl."

The doctor shakes his hand and smiles. "Hi Nate, nice meeting you."

"Me too Doc. Kenzi already told me about you."

The blonde raises her eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yes Doc." He looks at Bo.

Bo clears her throat. "We should go inside now."

Nate nods. "I'll go ahead ladies. I can't wait to see Kenzi." He jogs towards the door and opens it.

The officer sighs. "Well there goes Nate." Her shoulders slump. "I'm nervous about Hale. What if he gets mad at me Lauren?"

"Bo why will he get mad at you?"

"Because I didn't tell him that Kenzi and Nate are together now. He's really in love with my best friend."

"Well it's not your secret to tell. I mean, will Kenzi appreciate it if you tell Hale about it?"

Bo bites her lip. "Oh no, of course not. Kenzi will surely be mad at me. So it's Hale or Kenzi." She shakes her head. "But thank you for pulling me off the ledge. I need to speak to Hale later."

"Sure you do. I think he will understand Bo."

Bo nods but uncertainty lingers in her eyes. "Let's go."

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Inside the house, Bo and Lauren's friends are busy looking at the betting table that Hale made.

"Listen guys, this is the betting table that I made based on the supposition that Bo and Lauren will be together some time this year or early next year. Vex and I thought, as Doc Ci here agreed, that we give them a leeway of two months to know each other very well. As you can see, I divided the table by week. Week 1 will be from November 12-18; Week 2 from November 19-25 and so on and so forth." Hale explains while pointing at the important details of the table.

"Wait, why November 12-18 is Week 1?" Kenzi interrupts.

"Because they met last Friday, which is September 15. And since we are giving them a leeway of two months, November 15 is the D-day and this day will fall on this week."

"So if I bet on Week 1, I have all these seven days for myself correct?"

"Correct."

"So if they get together on November 18 then I win."

"Correct."

"Awesome. So who are the participants?"

"Of course the five of us and Doc Ci I think you said Dyson will also participate right?" Hale asks the blonde emergency doctor.

"Oh yes. He's very excited." Ciara grins.

"I'll convince Nate to join us. He won't refuse me." Kenzi shares.

Hale frowns when he heard Kenzi's statement.

"So I have some questions." Tamsin raises her hand, oblivious to the officer's discomfort. Hale sighs then nods for her to continue. "How much are we going to cough up for this bet and how are going to know who will place his bet first?"

Vex replies. "Of course dear, we are going to have a set of rules. But to answer your questions, we can talk about the amount. We are open for suggestions. And for your second question, we can use playing cards. We'll just use the cards with numbers so the cards with aces, jacks, queens and kings will be removed. We'll choose the suit later. Then we randomly pick a card. The person that will pick the highest number will choose the first bet and so on and so forth."

"But choosing your bets can be done today or tomorrow or thirty days from now. It's your choice but if you fail to choose your bet up until the 16th day of October, we will randomly select your bet for you. On the vacant weeks, of course. Think of your own strategy." Hale continues seamlessly.

"Why thirty days from now? It's too long. I think we should shorten the days, let's say two weeks from now. The first person to place his bet should choose after a week. So the placing of the bets should be done in two weeks. No more, no less. That will ensure the fairness of this bet." Kenzi suggests.

"Two weeks? Yeah okay. But I would like to know the opinion of each of us. Tamsin, Hale, Ciara?" Vex asks.

"I'm okay with two weeks." Ciara nods.

"Yeah same with me." Tamsin acquiesces.

"Looks like we are outnumbered buddy." Hale grins at Vex.

"Fine, two weeks." Vex shrugs. "Another rule and this is exciting." He rubs his hands while grinning. "Each bettor can place two bets – a first choice bet and a second choice bet. The amount to be placed in your first choice will be higher of course. Is it okay with you guys?" The other four nod their agreement.

"Of course, the first choice should be different from the second choice. You cannot place your first choice and second choice bets on the same week." Hale points out. "We have 14 weeks to choose from guys. And we only have seven people to bet. What do you say, can we double bet?"

"I'm okay with it as long as we already choose the first seven bets." Ciara agrees.

"Yes why not? That means there's more chances of winning." Tamsin points out. "But what if someone wants to join after the first two weeks, are we going to let them in?"

"Well who else will join? I mean I think it's just the seven of us." Kenzi asks.

"I think Tamsin's question is valid. But what if someone will join? Do we have a rule for latecomers?" Ciara looks at Vex and Hale. "Guys?"

Hale turns to face Vex.

Vex sighs. "If someone will join later, we need to talk about it. I mean we are the main bettors here. We need to reconvene if something like that will happen."

"Okay fair enough. So still the main question – how much is the bet?" Tamsin smirks.

"Well I think $ 100 for the first choice and $ 50 for the second choice." Vex relays. "What do you say?"

"I'll be coughing up $150 for those two?" Tamsin snorts.

"C'mon Tam Tam, you'll earn that money from your tips. And I know you. You're sucker for these kind of bets." Kenzi laughs at her best friend. "Don't mind Tamsin guys." She looks at Vex, Hale and Ciara.

"So are we okay with $100 and $50?" Vex asks. All heads nod. "Okay. Before we proceed, I would like to tell you the most important rule of this bet."

"What is it?" Tamsin raises her eyebrow.

"The most important rule is that Bo and Lauren shouldn't know about this bet or else, all hell breaks loose." Vex implores.

"Of course, Bo will have our heads. She abhors gambling especially when it involves money. And we are betting about her and Lauren being together. It's a big no-no for her." Kenzi shudders with the statement. "So guys, we have to be discrete okay? We can't just talk about this when they are around. I suggest that we exchange phone numbers. We only talk about this in text messages. We also can't have a paper trail of this. I'll try to create a simple mobile app so we can save the betting table in our mobile phones. Is that alright with you?"

"It's okay Kenzi. That would be very helpful." Vex smiles at her. "So are you ready to pick a random card and know if you are the first one to place your bet? I have a deck of playing cards ready. But I have to choose a suit so we can avoid duplicate numbers. Here, let's use the card with hearts since we know the nature of this bet." He lays the card face down on the table. "Pick your card now please. Ciara, pick for Dyson after yours then Kenzi for Nate."

Each of the participant picks his/her card. After a while, a shout of joy is heard from Ciara while Vex growls. Ciara's card is the 10 of hearts while Vex ends with the 2.

"Guys, I decided to go ahead and pick my bet now, for both my primary and secondary choices. Dyson's too. We already talked about this so we are sure about our bets." Ciara relates.

Vex laughs. "Oh my God! I thought I was the only one who's excited about this." He looks at the doctor. "Okay Ci, go on. Place your bets."

"Wait, I need some clarifications first. Who's going to control the betting table? And who's taking down the notes on the rules?" Tamsin asks.

"Good questions. I'm taking down the notes on the rules. In controlling the betting table, for now as we wait for Kenzi's mobile app, I think it would be me and Vex. Right buddy?" Hale turns to Vex for clarification. The latter nods.

"Okay Ciara, go on and place your bets." Vex prods his friend.

"Wait, I also need some clarifications." The doctor frowns. Vex groans. "Hey this is valid concern. Stop groaning, you're like a 12 year old hormonal boy when you're doing that."

Vex throws stink eyes at her.

The doctor just laughs. "Anyways, my question is the 'together' part of this bet. I already asked this last night..." She looks at Vex and Hale. "...but since Kenzi and Tamsin are here I will ask it again. When we say 'together', as in just dating or really together like girlfriends?"

"Well there's a possibility that they will date first before really going to that 'girlfriend' status. It will just depends on how long they will date before they get to that. So we should really establish how we define 'together' for our bet because this information is really crucial." Kenzi points out to her co-bettors.

"Right. So how are going to define it guys?" Vex frowns. "Are we going to vote on this? C'mon, the choices are easy – just dating or girlfriends status?"

"I go with the latter. Who's with me?" Tamsin raises her hand.

The other four raise their hands.

"See? It's simple." Vex shakes his head. "Before Ciara places her bet, are there any other questions? None? Okay so please, pretty please Ci..." He looks at the doctor. "...tell us your primary choice. Who has the 9 card?" Kenzi raises her card. "Huh lucky. You're next. How about 8?" He looks at Hale. "Please buddy, list the sequence."

Each of the bettors raises his/her card while Hale lists down the sequence. "So in order from the highest card to lowest, the sequence is Ciara, Kenzi, me, Tamsin, Dyson, Nate then last, Vex."

Ciara looks at Hale. "Please place my bet on week 2, that's November 19-25."

"Oh shit, Doc you ruined it!" Kenzi groans. "There goes my bet!"

The doctor laughs. "Really, you're going to place your bet on the same week? Why?"

"Because that's Bo's birthday week."

"When is Bo's birthday?" Vex asks.

"November 19..." Kenzi looks at her mobile. "...it is actually a Sunday."

Hale writes down Ciara's bet. He looks at Kenzi. "Kenz, are you going to place your bet now?"

"Yeah. I don't want to wait. This should be my secondary choice but since the Doc has already bet on my primary choice so yeah, I'm placing my bet on the Christmas week – Week 7 I think."

"Okay, written down. Mine is on week 8. That's the New Year week." Hale grins.

"That's my bet!" Vex taps his forehead and glares at his friend.

Tamsin looks at the betting table. "There's nothing much to go on. When is Lauren's birthday?"

"It already passed, July."

The blonde bartender frowns. "Okay, I'm placing my bet on Week 6, that's before Christmas."

"Nate's would be on Week 3. That's after the Thanksgiving." Kenzi tells Hale.

"Dyson's would be on Week 9, after the New Year." Ciara follows through.

"Finally, I can place my bet. Yey!" Vex shakes his head. "I decide to be fearless. I'm placing my bet on Week 1." He pounds his fist on the table.

"Wow very brave indeed!" Kenzi claps her hands.

Ciara rolls her eyes. "Okay, I'm ready for my secondary choice." She smiles. "I'll go with Week 7."

The rest place their bets for their secondary choices.

Vex sighs. "So we're finished. Buddy, who's going to keep the betting table? And Kenzi needs a copy."

"No, I'm okay. I already saved your bets on my mobile. I'll keep you informed when I'm going to finish the app. I also need your mobile numbers so I can include the contact list."

Vex has something to say when the door suddenly moves. All of them have the 'uh oh' face, their eyes are looking at the door. Their bated breaths are released when the two people who entered the house are not Bo and Lauren but the two G's.

"Oh my God, I thought I'm going to die!" Kenzi laughs while patting her chest. "Hi Mrs. G, hi little G!"

Both Gertrudes wave at Kenzi and walk towards the group.

"Hi Kenzi, Tamsin and Hale! I see that you have new friends. May I know your names my dears?" Mrs. G asks while looking at Vex and Hale.

"Shit where are my manners?" The young brunette shakes her head. "Mrs. G, this is Vex and Ciara. They are Lauren's housemates and friends. You already met Lauren right?" Mrs. G nods at her. "Vex, Ciara this is Mrs. Gertrude Abbott. She's the owner of flower shop that delivered the flowers earlier. And the little one is Gertrude Hardy, her namesake and granddaughter."

"Hi guys!" Little G waves at Vex and Ciara shyly. "It's nice to meet you. I already met Lauren too."

Vex stares at the young Gertrude. "How old are you little one?"

"I'm only 18 Mr. Vex."

"I'm just Vex little G. Are you studying? Where and what is your course?"

"Yes I am at the University of New Haven taking up Business Management."

"That's nice. So you're going to conquer the business world. It's fascinating really." Vex encourages the young lady.

"Uhm, it's just the flower shop Mr. Vex. Nothing fancy."

"Oh don't belittle the flower shop young lady. It's not 'just' a flower shop, but 'the' flower shop if you consider the enormity of flowers that you deliver here today. I think your grandmother won't tolerate that kind of attitude." Vex points out. "Right Mrs. G?"

The old lady smiles at the businessman. "That's alright dear. My granddaughter does not fully understand the ins and outs of the business yet because for now her only jobs are to take the customers' orders accurately, to know our products very well and then to deliver the orders in a sufficient manner. I think it's a good start. And I always tell her that in this way, customers will return to us and we make good business."

"Ah wise words from the owner itself." Vex winks at the old woman.

"I've been in this business for a long time now dear. My husband and I started with just a little flower shop because I really love flowers and bless him, he indulged me with my hobby. Soon after that, we both realized that this hobby of mine was not just an everyday past time but a source of livelihood. Alas, he passed away ten years ago. I loved my husband very much and this flower shop was his greatest gift to me." Old Gertrude eyes tear up a bit while remembering her husband.

"Grandma is always tearing up when she remembers grandpa." Little G relates. "I asked Lauren a while ago if she is Bo's girlfriend."

"What?!" Kenzi exclaims. "How did your brain go from one topic to another?"

"It's just that Grandpa used to look at Grandma the way Bo looks at Lauren, you know." The young lady shrugs. "I saw it. Right Gran? You saw it too."

"Oh I like how you think kid." Tamsin taps Little G's shoulder. "How intense?"

Old Gertrude interrupts. "It's not just Bo, Gerty but the doctor seems to be looking at her like Bo invented the loaf bread."

Vex and Hale look at each other and chuckles. "Buddy, looks like this bet thing that we started is really a good idea." Hale points out.

"Oh yeah and I'm feeling good about my bet." Vex rubs his hands.

Ciara looks at little G. "Little G, I'm curious... what was Lauren's answer to your question?"

"At first she said no but changed her answer to yes. But she explained herself that yes, she is Bo's girlfriend because she's Bo's friend that is a girl."

"I kind of expected that answer from her. She's my friend after all." The blonde ER doctor just shakes her head.

"And what was Bo's reaction?" Kenzi raises her eyebrow.

"She was so shocked I thought she's going to be mad at me but she agreed with Lauren's answer. But I saw in her eyes that she really didn't expect that question. She was really anxious. So I didn't push."

"You're one intuitive young lady. I like you. But yeah, don't ask them about that again any sooner. It's really going to be real awkward especially now that they are still in the stage of getting to know each other." Vex sighs. "You will have that opportunity again little G. Don't fret."

"Okay Mr... err Vex."

"Hey it's already six o'clock. Kenzi, we still need to arrange the flowers. C'mon. Mrs. G, Little G can you help please?" Tamsin stands and starts looking at the flowers.

"I can help. Just tell me where to put the flowers." Ciara volunteers.

"Actually Doc, there's a concept that we need to discuss first in order for us to arrange the flowers." Kenzi walks towards a side cabinet. She opens the drawer, picking up a paper. "Here's the plan. Since Pops is very loyal to Ireland, well because he's an Irish, we thought that the color of flowers should represent the flag which is orange, white and green. Mrs. G here thought of the flowers that we should order - green daisies, white roses and orange lilies."

"Interesting choices Mrs. G but they are very pretty. I didn't know that there are green daisies." Ciara declares. "What about the sunflowers and peonies?"

"Oh dear, those are ordered by the birthday boy. He mentioned a shindig that he will attend and they need yellow and pink flowers so I suggested why not sunflowers and peonies, right?" Mrs. G asks while pruning the stems of the flowers. "Let me cut the stems ladies and I will tell you where to put the flowers." She looks at the men. "And you gentlemen, just sit there and observe."

Hale smiles at her. "Okay Mrs. G. We can just sit here and look at you ladies. My arms are still hurting." He looks at Kenzi. "Where's Bruce and Steve, by the way?"

"They went to The Dahl to fetch the drinks."

"Okay."

Suddenly the door opens and there's Nate standing at the doorway.

"Hi everyone!" He waves at them. "Why are you all staring at me like I'm a ghost?"

"Hi Nate. Well you didn't knock and announced yourself so we are just jumpy or whatever." Tamsin admonishes him.

The young man just laughs it off and walks towards Kenzi. "Hi babe. I'm here now and I'm right on time." He then pecks Kenzi on the lips.

Hale's eyes widen when he heard the term of endearment and saw the kiss. He looks at Kenzi and Nate then to Tamsin. Kenzi is avoiding his eyes while the other two are talking to each other. He looks down, thinking about Nate and Kenzi until a painful realization hits him right in the heart. _Oh shit!_ He shakes his head and starts to chastise himself in his head when the door opens and Bo enters. Lauren follows closely.

The brunette's eyes go straight to her partner. When she sees the slump on his shoulders, she knows that he finally knows the truth. She clears her throat. "Hey we're here."

"Oh hey finally you two are joining us." Vex hollers.

"Well it's raining so we are forced to come inside." Lauren deadpans.

"Haha. Thank you for joining us your majesty." The business man quips. Then he looks at Bo. "And you, are you okay now?"

Bo raises her eyebrow. "Yeah I am. How do you..."

"I have eyes on my back." He looks at her then looks at Hale, still looking down at his shoes.

The officer just shakes her head. Vex looks at her and sighs. Then suddenly his eyes light up. "I'm parched. I need a drink." He looks at Hale. "Buddy, I think we need to go to The Dahl and see how Bruce and Steve are doing. Maybe we can snag a drink or two." He looks at Bo. "Is that okay?"

Bo tries to catch Hale's eyes. Her partner finally moves from his catatonic stance when he heard Vex mentioned drinks. He glances at her and smiles with conflicted and sad eyes. Then he turns to Vex and nods. "Yeah okay, I need a drink." They both stand, walking towards the door when Bo interrupts them.

"Wait." She looks at Vex. "So before I forget, Nate this is Vex..." She waves her hand to where the business man is. "... and this is Ciara. They are Lauren's friends and housemates. Vex is a businessman while Ciara is also a doctor at Yale. Vex, Ciara this is Nate."

"Hi Nate." Vex smiles at him. "Excuse us please, me and my buddy here need a drink." He taps Hale's shoulder.

Ciara stops arranging the flowers and shakes Nate's hand. "Hi Nate. It is nice meeting you." The bartender nods with a smile.

"So what do we have here?" Bo looks at the flower arrangement. "Uh green daisies, really?"

Lauren perks up. "Oh wow green daisies! I heard about them but this is the first time that I've actually seen them."

"Well dear, green daisies become famous because of their unique color but they were already planted and bred since time immemorial. There are many types of daisies and these greens are called gerbera daisies. The more common and popular colors are yellow, pink and orange." Mrs. G relates.

"I love daisies. Hopefully I have them planted very soon in my garden." She looks at Bo. "Bo, can we talk to Tamsin now?"

Tamsin looks at Bo and Lauren when she heard her name. "Why do you want to talk to me?"

"Yeah well, you've been pestering me earlier so now that I'm already over it, we need to tell you something." Bo put her arms across her chest, trying to intimidate the taller woman.

The taller blonde holds up her hands defensively. "What is it Bo?"

"Bo..." Lauren admonishes.

The officer sighs. "Lauren and I spent some time in the garden and she loved what she has seen so..." She nods at the doctor to continue.

"Tamsin, Bo told me that you did the landscaping of the garden at the front. I loved it. She also told me that you have a vegetable and herb garden at the back. I haven't seen it yet but I'm excited to take a look at it." She looks at Ciara. "My housemates and I want a garden of our own. We have been living in that house for seven years now but we never had the chance to search for a landscaper or someone to work on it. So when Bo mentioned to me that you did the landscaping of your garden, I really wanted to hire you to do the job in ours." She looks at the bartender. "I know you have a job at night but you can work for us in the weekends or as your schedule permits. We just wanted our front and back lawns to look like something decent. What can you say about it?"

"Are you sure Doc? Our garden was my first project. While I'm proud of it, I have to admit that I'm still lacking in skills." The taller blonde frowns.

"Yeah well they say practice means perfect right? If you'll accept, our garden will be your second project." Lauren sees that Tamsin is thinking hard. "I don't need your answer right now. You can sleep on it. Or just tell me your answer in two weeks. And then I'll show you my scrapbook."

"You have a scrapbook?" Tamsin's eyes widen. "I'm impressed."

"Landscaping is not my strong suit so I gather all the details that I can get. I also read online blogs and magazines."

"Wow! Ok Doc, you got me. I'll do it. I need to see your scrapbook and the areas you want me to work on."

"Oh thank you, finally!" Lauren claps her hand. "Are you available next weekend?"

"Sure Doc. I work on Saturday nights but I have Sunday and Monday free for you." She winks at Lauren. Then she looks at Bo and smirks.

Bo breathes deeply while willing herself not to react to Tamsin's antics.

Again, oblivious to the taller blonde's actions, Lauren answers. "I'll be there on Sunday but on Monday, I need to go the hospital but you can come and talk to Vex. He'll be there all day. He knows what I like. Ciara too."

"You got yourself a date Doc!" Tamsin points to Lauren and laughs.

Kenzi glances at Bo with a concerned gaze, waiting for her negative reaction but the officer just shakes her head and smiles. _That's interesting._ "Can I come with Tamsin on Sunday Dr. Hotpants? I like to see your house."

Lauren turns to Kenzi and asks, "Dr. Hotpants?"

Nate raises his eyebrow. "Babe, I didn't know you are into that."

The young brunette slaps her boyfriend's arm. "Of course not but she's hot and she wears her pants very well. Look at that ass!"

"Kenzi..." Bo says her best friend's name in a low voice.

Ciara taps Lauren on her shoulder. "Looks like Kenzi christened you with an apt nickname. Dr. Hotpants! Way to go Kenzi. I love it!"

"See, the other blonde doctor loves it!" The forensic science student claps her hands. She then sees the blushing face of Lauren. "Don't mention it! You'll get over it and you also gonna love it too!"

Laurens sidles up beside Bo and whispers, "Is she really like that?"

"Like what?"

"Uhm creating nicknames for people that she just met?"

Bo laughs. "Not all the time. It means she likes you."

The doctor raises her eyebrow. "Likes me as?"

"As a person, as a friend."

"So it's her way of telling me that she's accepting me as her friend."

"You got it Doctor." Bo winks at her.

Lauren taps Kenzi's shoulder. "Thank you Kenzi."

"You're welcome! So is it okay for me to accompany Tamsin on Sunday?"

"Yeah sure, no problem."

"We're finished." Little G declares. The young lady is beaming with pride as she and her grandmother show the others the arrangement they did with the flowers. The green daisies, white roses and orange lilies are scattered neatly on the wall adjacent to the table. It looked like a tableau or a graphic representation of the Irish flag.

"Wow! It's beautiful Mrs. G." Bo's eyes widen at the sight before her.

"Thank you Bo. This is what do best. I've always been fascinated with flower arrangements so I learned how to do them. They are our bestsellers especially on Valentine's Day. Several flower shops are opening up here in New Haven and they are producing new kinds of flower arrangements so we need to keep up with what's new in our industry. They are crazy, our competitors, but we are doing good. Gerty here is my researcher." Mrs. G smiles at her granddaughter. "And she promised me that she will learn too."

The conversation is interrupted by the shrill of a mobile phone.

"Oh that's my phone." Bo pulls out her phone from her pocket. "It's Pops. I need to take this outside so he won't hear our voices. Excuse me."

When Bo steps outside, Kenzi walks towards Lauren. "Hotpants, I have to something to ask from you."

"What is it Kenzi?"

"Uhm it's really a big favor but I really need to do this. Well as you can see, my piano is brought down here specifically because of tonight's event, which is Pops' birthday. I want to play something for him but I need a partner. This partner is someone that also plays an instrument. And I want my partner to be you."

Lauren nods in understanding. "So you want me to play a song with you for Mr. McCorrigan's birthday?"

"Yes."

"I wouldn't refuse you Kenzi if I could but unfortunately I didn't bring my violin with me."

"Don't worry about that. I have my father's violin with me. Well that is, if it's okay with you to play with someone else's violin." The young brunette quips.

The doctor nods. "Okay. So what are we going to play?"

"Are you for real?" Kenzi's eyes widen. "Uhm okay, wait Hotpants. Don't move. I'll just get my father's violin from my room." She hurriedly climbs up the stairs to her room.

"Why did Trick call?" Tamsin asks Bo as the bartender saw the officer return.

"He just wanted to know if I already called the restaurant for our reservation. He also told me that he's enjoying the party that his friends organized for him. And he will be coming home with Mr. Strickland." She looks at Mrs. G, grinning.

"Oh dear, another round of nonstop arguments over backgammon! Good thing I already sharpened my gaming skills at home. I'm ready for him."

Bo laughs. "What's the running score between the two of you?"

"It's 10-9. I think he'll be trying to even it up."

"Good luck." She winks at the old lady. She then turns around to look at Nate. "Where's Kenzi?"

"She went up to her room to get her father's violin."

Lauren moves beside her. "She wants us to play something for your grandfather."

"Okay?" Bo's eyebrows furrow.

"I think it's a good idea but since I didn't bring my violin, she said she will let me play with her father's instead."

"Oh. That's a good thing then. Are you up to it? I mean I didn't invite you just so you can do this..."

The doctor interrupts her, smiling. "It's okay Bo. I like to do it because I haven't played duets with a pianist for a long time now. Relax, okay?"

"Hotpants, here it is. This is my father's violin." Kenzi hands the instrument to the doctor.

"Oh we have the same violin, it's Stentor." Lauren brings it out from the case. She looks at Kenzi.

The pianist winks at her. "I'm giving you free reign. Go ahead and do what you usually do."

"Thank you Kenzi." She removes the bow from the case and checks if the hair of the bow is tight. She puts it down once she's sure that it is. Next she picks up the violin by its neck, bringing the butt of it up to her neck. She rests it on her collarbone, holding it in place with her jaw. Once the bow is in her hands, she slides it across the strings. She stops and then slides it again. She repeats the action two times more. "Well, no need to tune the violin. It's ready." She looks at the pianist. "So what are we going to play for Mr. McCorrigan?"

"I have some music sheets with me. They are all violin and piano duets. But maybe before we decide, can we play a simple piece together? It's like a practice of sorts." Kenzi beams at Lauren.

"Sure, why not? Is Canon in D alright with you? It's the piece that I usually play when I'm going to perform with someone I've never play with before."

"Perfect Hotpants." She heads towards the piano and sits. "Ready Doc?"

Lauren nods.

What happens next is so surreal the audience of six can't do anything but to sit back and imagine that they are in a theatre watching a concerto. If someone will ask Bo what made it captivating is that these two individual musicians, who plays side by side for the first time, make it look like that they are doing this their whole lives. For her, the combination of her beloved and best friend's performance is unbelievable and it has caught her off guard. The first few notes have clued the audience of how the piece will go. Canon in D is a classical baroque music. In these modern times, this kind of musical piece is not among the normal ones that people will listen to. But the pianist and violinist make their audience listen and indulge in it. The culmination of the piece makes them hitch their breaths. Bo is already a goner when Lauren and Kenzi play their last notes. Her mouth forms an O especially when the doctor winks at her. Even Tamsin who can't appreciate classical music is floored.

"Whoa, that was amazing!" Little G exclaims. The others clap their hands except for Bo who's still frozen at her place.

Lauren and Kenzi bow at their audience, both humbled by the praises given to them at that very moment. The pianist hugs the violinist and says, "Hotpants, you're incredible!" She quickly removes herself from the embrace. "Uh sorry about that, I am just so happy!"

"Kenzi, it's okay. Thank you. You're an amazing pianist! My God, I have to keep up with you!"

"I played it very well because you are intense!" She notices that her best friend is not moving. "Uh Hotpants, looks like BoBo can't move because of our awesomeness." She pokes the brunette. "BoBo, you can move now."

"Uh what?"

"Where you have been? You've been staring at us the whole time!"

"Sorry about that but wow Lauren, Kenzi that was wow! I've never heard something like that for a long time. It was intense and amazing. You are both passionate musicians. It was a sight to behold. And the music, it was wow!" Bo stares at the doctor with veneration. "Sorry, I can't find a more appropriate word to describe it."

"Thank you Bo." The doctor is blushing, moved by the open admiration the officer is throwing in her way. It goes straight to her heart. The feeling is warm like a cocoon surrounding her whole body.

The brunette is still staring at the doctor when Kenzi decides to burst the bubble. She clears her throat and says, "Hotpants now that we have proven that we are an A team - what are we going to play for Pops?"

"That's the question isn't it?"

"If it's okay with you, we can play two pieces – a fast one then a love song. Pops loves them. We can choose from my music sheets."

"Let see what we have here." Lauren glances at the titles. "Do you want to play the theme from Phantom of the Opera? Then for the love song..." She smiles at the blue-eyed pianist. "...here, I love this one. I play it too sometimes."

"Where Do I Begin? Yes, it's a good choice. I like it." She nods vigorously. "Do you need the musical sheet for the Phantom of the Opera? How about the other one?"

"Phantom of the Opera, yes but the other one, no I'm good."

"Okay Hotpants." Kenzi pulls out her mobile phone from her pocket. "Oh Alicia's already here so it means the food has arrived." She signals to Nate and Tamsin. "Bo, let us take care of Alicia and the food. Stay here and talk to the doctors and the double G's."

Ciara walks towards her friend and exclaims, "Lo what was that? I mean I agree with Bo. That was an amazing performance."

"The reason is Kenzi Ci. You saw her. As I said I need to keep up with that." She looks at Bo. "Bo, she's an amazing pianist. My brother is very good but she's something else."

"As far as I know, her musical flair is genetic. Her father was a violinist and her mother was a cellist. They actually met in an audition for a choir."

"Was?" Ciara inquires.

Bo sighs. "Kenzi's parents both died in a car accident when she was still a child."

"Oh that's sad."

"I know."

The three of them are still contemplating about what happened to Kenzi's parents when Vex and Hale arrive bearing bottles of gin and vodka.

"What's the fuzz all about? Is it the music we heard when we are in The Dahl? That was brilliant." Vex declares with a smile.

"That was Lauren and Kenzi playing Canon in D." Bo replies.

"What? And I missed it!"

"Don't worry, they will be playing again for Pops later." She looks at her partner. "Hale?"

Hale looks at Bo.

"Can we talk, as in now please?"

The tall officer nods and smiles. His partner walks towards the dining room and he follows.

Bo turns her back from the wall and faces her partner. "Hale I know that you already know. I'm sorry if..."

Hale interrupts her. "Bo, it's okay. I'm not angry or mad at you."

"But..."

"It's my fault."

"What? Why?"

"Well if I have just told her what I really feel then maybe she won't be with Nate now." He notes with a tight smile. "I thought that waiting is the better option. I guess I'm wrong."

"I'm so sorry Hale."

"It's okay Bo." He lets out a deep breath. "I will try to move on and be happy for them. But for now, maybe I can wallow for a while and feel the pain." He shakes his head. "I should have been steadfast. I should have shown her how much she means to me. But I've been sloppy. I've never shown her that I'm here, she has another choice." He looks at his partner. "So partner, I'm telling you this. In the near future, if you feel that it's time to tell her what you really feel, I say go for it. Don't let it pass." He looks up, his hands inside his pockets. "There was a time in the past when I really wanted to tell her but I let it pass and now, look at us. And you are always reminding me to call or text her. You've been very supportive. So don't beat up yourself about this okay? I know you will but don't. This is all my fault."

"I just want you to be happy, you and Kenzi. Together."

"For now, I think 'together' is not option for the two of us. Or maybe forever." Hale sighs. "She asked me earlier if she can talk to me later so I said yes. I think she will tell me about her and Nate."

"She did?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure you're up to it?"

"The sooner that I bite the bullet, the better Bo. It's inevitable." He looks down at his shoes. "Even if she didn't choose me, I want this to be easy for her."

"You really love her, don't you?"

"You know I do." He hears voices coming from the back door. "I think they're here Bo. C'mon, I don't want Kenzi to see us talking." Hale stands straight, waiting for his partner.

"Go on. I'll wait for them here. I need to check the food."

"Okay. But I need to get supplies for the gin and vodka that Vex and I brought."

"What do you need?"

"Lemon, lemon juice, lime juice, triple sec, cranberry juice, sugar, carbonated water, tonic water, ice, cocktail glasses, regular glasses..." Hale enumerates.

"What the!? Are you going to get drunk?"

"Of course not Bo. I'll drink just a glass or two. We have work tomorrow. But I think it's Vex that wants to be drunk. He likes gin, lots of it."

"Okay. I'll just tell Nate and Tamsin."

"Alright." He walks towards the living room.

In the living room, Mrs. G has been monopolizing Lauren's attention. She's been regaling the doctor about the history and inner workings of their family business, the flower shop.

"Mrs. G, that's quite a story." Lauren says, a small smile forming on her lips.

"Oh dear but it's all true. You can go with me so you can see for yourself. My greenhouses are in Woodbridge and Hamden. I'm visiting them every third week of the month. So my next visit would be on the 23rd or 24th. Are you available on those days?"

"I am but if it's okay with you Mrs. G, I'm leaning towards the 24th. I would also like Tamsin to be with me since she agreed to do our landscaping. I think she's only available on the 24th."

"Can I come with Lauren Mrs. G? My reason is rather personal but I also want to see the greenhouses." Vex looks at the old lady with puppy dog eyes. "Please, I beg you!"

"You don't need to beg. You can come!" Mrs. G turns to Lauren. "Yes dear, we can do it on the 24th."

"Yes! I can come with, I can come with!" He leans closer to his best friend. "I just want to be away from New Haven for a little while you know." He whispers.

"Well you need a bodyguard." Hale looks at Mrs. G. "Can I come too?"

Lauren laughs good-naturedly. "It is going to be an excursion isn't it?" She looks at Vex and Hale doing a high five. She then turns to Ciara. "What about you, can you come? It's a great opportunity to unwind after those grueling hours at the hospital."

"You got me at 'unwind'." Ciara nods. "So we need to know if Kenzi and Nate will come too." Hale frowns.

"What about Bo?" Lauren asks.

"Uh Lo we don't need to ask her. She will come. Trust me." Lauren's face is skeptical. "Oh my God Lewis, you're adorable but frustrating." Ciara shakes her head.

"Really? And you called me Lewis. You're only calling me that if I did something horrible!" She looks clueless. She is in the verge of asking Ciara but an alarm erupts. She glances at her watch. "Oh it's already 6:30. Vex, I need to re-heat the lasagna. Can you come with me to the kitchen?"

Vex stands up and follows her to the kitchen where they find Bo, Kenzi, Nate, Tamsin and an unknown man and a woman standing around the table. They are arranging big plates of food. Kenzi looks up and sees Vex and Lauren entering the kitchen.

"Vex, Hotpants!"

The businessman speaks up. "It's already 6:30 and Lo here wants to re-heat the lasagna. I think she needs 20 minutes to do that." He looks at his best friend. "Right?"

Lauren nods. "Yeah. So where is it?"

Tamsin answers. "Uh Doc, let me get it for you." She heads towards the refrigerator, bringing out the big container of lasagna.

Lauren then walks towards the oven. Vex follows. They both look at the mechanisms of the oven. The doctor turns around, looking at Bo. "May I?"

Bo, who is staring at the doctor, jerks up. "Oh yeah sure, of course. What else do you need?"

"Uhm I need aluminum foil to cover it." The doctor preheats the oven.

"Aluminum foil, got it." The officer then walk towards a kitchen cabinet, getting a rolled up aluminum foil. "Here." She hands it to the doctor while Vex is removing the lid of the pasta's container.

"Wow that smells delicious." The unknown woman exclaims. She looks at Lauren. "Did you make it?"

"Yes I did."

"She made it with freshly made lasagna pasta sheets, very tasty and homemade beef and pork ragu, also homemade béchamel sauce and lots of Italian cheese." Vex declares.

The woman raises her eyebrow at Vex.

"I'm just telling the truth." He shrugs.

"Well maybe because she's talking to me and you interrupt." Lauren gently admonishes her best friend and looks at the woman. "I'm sorry, he's just very protective of me. But yes he's telling the truth. He has eaten lots of that so he knows."

"No problem. It looks delicious."

"Thank you."

"I'm Alicia by the way. I cook for Trick and The Dahl. I was requested by Bo to cook for her grandfather's birthday."

"I'm Lauren, nice meeting you." She shakes the woman's hand. "The lasagna is actually a gift for Mr. McCorrigan's birthday."

"That's a nice gift." Alicia looks at Vex.

"Oh I am Vex. I baked the cake. It's also a gift." He shakes her hand. "How long have you been cooking at The Dahl?"

"Well when you say cooking, just the appetizers and some short orders okay? To answer your question, may be 5-7 years now."

"Then you are making those delicious chicken wings that I always order when I'm at The Dahl?" Vex looks at her skeptically.

"Yes I make them. It's my own recipe."

"Good for you. So now Lo, let's get this lasagna inside so the re-heating will start." Vex stares at the unknown man. "You look familiar. You are a bartender at The Dahl, correct?"

"Yes I am. I am Paul, Alicia's husband."

"Oh lucky man Paul, if we are just going with the chicken wings you know. Your wife knows what she's doing with wings." Vex laughs. He opens the oven and places the container of lasagna.

Lauren takes over, pushes the oven's button. "Now we wait." She looks over at the table. "Wow this is quite a spread. Did you cook all of these?"

"Yes I did, thank you." The cook answers.

The doctor smiles at her, while pointing at a dish. "This is a pot roast. Can you tell me how you cook it?"

"Certainly." The cook then regales the doctor of the roast's ingredients, methods of cooking, etc.

The others just watch them interact.

"So you used sage and added a dollop of whiskey? You used chuck roast?" Lauren asks the cook.

"Yes to all of your questions."

"That's good to know. This dish will be very delicious, I can't wait to try it. Thank you for telling me about the dish and answering my questions."

"No problem at all. I know a fellow good cook when I see one." The cook beams at Lauren. "Maybe you can teach me how you make your lasagna some other time."

"Sure no problem."

"So Lo, you already have coaxed Mrs. G to go to an excursion now you got a cook out with Alicia? You're really not too busy, aren't you?" Vex chuckles. Lauren just shrugs.

"What excursion?" Bo asks.

"Oh next Sunday, we will all go to Woodbridge and Hamden to see Mrs. G's greenhouses."

"We are?" Tamsin inquires.

"It was actually just you and me with Mrs. G and little G because I want to look at the flowers but Vex wants to come, then Hale of course. He said we need a bodyguard. I invited Ciara to come along because it's already an excursion. Then she volunteered Bo." Lauren looks at Bo. "She said you will come with us. She's adamant, she wants you to be there so I didn't ask why."

"Really? Well do you want me to be there?"

The doctor frowns. "We are all going so yeah sure."

Bo doesn't relent. "It looks like you don't want me to be there." _Oh God, listen to yourself. You sound like a whiny kid._

The doctor shrugs. "Okay you will be left behind. We are all going to be there. Kenzi, Nate you'll come with us?"

"It's Sunday, the 24th? Well why not? It's time to smell the flowers. Nate and I are going."

"See?"

"Well, Pops will be here with me."

"We'll invite him." Lauren challenges her.

Bo pouts. Tamsin looks at Kenzi. They burst into laughter. "She'll be going Doc. She can't resist it." The blonde bartender remarks.

Lauren looks at Bo. "I want you to be there okay? So don't pout."

"Okay." Bo grins.

Kenzi clears her throat and whispers, "Whipped." She then laughs.

"Interesting excursion." Vex notes, sidling up next to Bo.

Bo looks at him. "We need two cars."

"I agree. Let's talk about the logistics later. You know, who's going to car A and who's going to car B."

"I'm already planning right now, in my head. But we can finalize it later. Agreed?" Bo raises her eyebrow.

"Agreed. Looks like we are the designated drivers?"

"Of course. I won't let Lauren drive, promise."

Vex puts his hands on his hips. "Why would you think that she'll be riding with you Officer Dennis?"

"If I'm betting person, I will bet on it but I'm not so… I just know. And besides, why would she ride with you when you are easily scared by a cat crossing the road? She said that's the reason why you ran into a beveled road right?"

"Oh right. You remembered that." Vex frowns.

"Of course. So what happened? A cat really scared you?"

 _Ok this is it. Bite the bullet Vex._ "Lo was on the phone with you then I was trying to tell you something. I was blindsided by a cat. I avoided it but then, I ran into a ditch or the infamous 'beveled' road."

"Where did this happen?"

 _Really, an interrogation? How hard is it to lie to a police officer?_ "Somewhere in George St."

Bo mulls over Vex's statement. "Okay. What are you trying to tell me?"

"I'm just want to ask you if you want us to pick up something that you need since we are still in downtown earlier."

"Oh ok. Well we have everything here. Hale told me you need lots of ingredients for your drinks. Why don't you ask Nate and Tamsin about them?"

"Oh yeah, thanks Bo. My buddy Hale needs a glass or two..." Vex holds up his hands. "...I know you have work tomorrow. Let me handle it. He badly needs it. I know what's happening and a broken heart needs some numbing. Alcohol will help even for a short period of time. I know the feeling Bo." He looks away and sighs. "Haven't you experienced getting your heart broken?"

"I experienced it but I was still in high school back then so I can't just drink it away." She taps his shoulder. "Okay, just don't let him get drunk. I trust you."

He salutes her. He walks towards Nate and Tamsin.

After a while, the food and decorations are all set. All of the invited guests are all there. All they can do is wait for the birthday celebrant. Bo received a text, telling her that her grandfather is already on the way home with his best friend Robert. They decided to turn off the lights so that Trick won't see the people inside the house.

"I didn't know that having a surprise birthday party is a waiting game and the anticipation is really killing me." Tamsin reacts to the darkness and silence that surrounds the living room.

"Ssssh shut up Tam!" Kenzi admonishes her. "Just keep on drinking."

A car stopped in the front of the house.

"They are here!"

The door opens and Tricks steps into the house. "Why are the lights off?"

"Maybe you didn't pay your bill." His best friend Robert notes. Trick frowns.

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 **Author's Note: Thank you for reading.**


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